U.S. freight-rail traffic climbs 4.8% in Week 50

U.S. freight-rail traffic climbed 4.8% to 526,166 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Dec. 14 compared with the same week in 2023, according to Association of American Railroads data.

The railroads hauled 228,400 carloads in the week, a 2.4% decrease, and 297,766 containers and trailers, an 11.1% increase.

Six of the 10 carload commodities that AAR tracks every week logged an increase. The gainers included farm products excluding grain, and food, up 3.6% to 17,143; nonmetallic minerals, up 2% to 29,740; and chemicals, up 1.2% to 32,862.

Commodity groups that posted decreases include coal, down 6% to 61,291; metallic ores and metals, down 11.5% to 18,770; and motor vehicles and parts, down 4.7% to 16,009.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 91,690 carloads for the week, down 5.9%, and 67,922 intermodal units, down 6.7%. Mexican railroads reported 14,678 carloads for the week, a 14.8% decrease, and 13,467 intermodal units, a 0.3% decrease.

For the first 50 weeks of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023:
• U.S. railroads reported 24,264,974 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3%;
• Canadian railroads posted 7,927,769 carloads, containers and trailers, down 1%; and
• Mexican railroads logged 1,436,268 carloads and intermodal units, up 3%.