The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported US rail traffic for the week ending October 26, 2024. For this week, total US weekly rail traffic was 519 415 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.2% compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending 26 October were 228 829 carloads, up 0.9% compared with the same week in 2023, while US weekly intermodal volume was 290 586 containers and trailers, up 6.9% compared to 2023.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 2408 carloads, to 16 444; chemicals, up 1506 carloads, to 32 838; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 1308 carloads, to 18 091. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 were coal, down 3132 carloads, to 59 981; metallic ores and metals, down 2341 carloads, to 18 085; and non-metallic minerals, down 332 carloads, to 32 084.
For the first 43 weeks of 2024, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 9 371 430 carloads, down 3.2% from the same point last year; and 11 333 580 intermodal units, up 8.9% from last year. Total combined US traffic for the first 43 weeks of 2024 was 20 705 010 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.1% compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending 26 October 2024, on 9 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 340 775 carloads, up 0.2% compared with the same week last year, and 376 589 intermodal units, up 6.0% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 717 364 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.1%. North American rail volume for the first 43 weeks of 2024 was 28 794 945 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3% compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 97 007 carloads for the week, up 0.7%, and 71 773 intermodal units, up 2.0% compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 43 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6 846 120 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.0%.
Mexican railroads reported 14 939 carloads for the week, down 12.1% compared with the same week last year, and 14 230 intermodal units, up 8.0%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 43 weeks of 2024 was 1 243 815 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.6% from the same point last year.
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