U.S. freight-rail volume continues to slide

Carload and intermodal trends continued on a downward spiral for U.S. freight railroads during the week ending July 16, according to Association of American Railroads data.

The AAR reported that for the week, U.S. rail traffic totaled 498,899 carloads, containers and trailers, a 2.8% decrease compared with the same week last year. Total carloads declined 2.4% to 229,809 units, while intermodal volume fell 3.2% to 269,090 containers and trailers.

Three of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks on a weekly basis posted increases. They were nonmetallic minerals, up 2,211 carloads to 33,017; farm products excluding grain, and food, up 1,099 carloads to 16,695; and motor vehicles and parts, up 867 carloads to 12,916. 

Commodity groups that logged decreases included coal, down 3,545 carloads to 65,634; miscellaneous carloads, down 2,295 carloads to 8,496; and grain, down 2,265 carloads to 18,752.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 73,518 carloads for the week, up 4.6%, and 70,728 intermodal units, up 11.1%. Mexican railroads hauled 22,323 carloads, down 1.4%, and 15,898 intermodal units, down 11.1%.

For the first 28 weeks of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021:

• U.S. railroads reported 13,809,142 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.4%;

• Canadian railroads reported 4,007,538 carloads, containers and trailers, down 4%; and

• Mexican railroads reported 1,035,674 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 0.7%.