U.S. carload and intermodal volumes fell in Week 40

U.S. railroads logged decreases in both carload and intermodal volumes for the week ending Oct. 8, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carload volume fell 2.8% to 232,930 units, while intermodal traffic dropped 2% to 261,483 containers and trailers during the week compared with the same period a year ago. Combined, the railroads moved 494,413 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.4% compared with the same week last year.

Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases compared with the same week in 2021. They were motor vehicles and parts, up 908 carloads to 13,955; farm products — excluding grain — and food, up 817 carloads to 16,909; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 592 carloads to 9,993.

Commodity groups that posted decreases included chemicals, down 2,750 carloads to 30,187; miscellaneous carloads, down 1,496 carloads to 9,425; and metallic ores and metals, down 1,395 carloads to 20,995.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads logged 80,924 carloads for the week, up 5%, and 74,678 intermodal units, up 1.9%. Mexican railroads posted 22,232 carloads, up 5.7%, and 17,955 intermodal units, up 6.7%.

For the first 40 weeks of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021:

• U.S. railroads reported 19,773,269 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.7%;

• Canadian railroads reported 5,812,676 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.1%; and

• Mexican railroads reported 1,506,178 carloads, containers and trailers, up 4%.