U.S. railroads log slight traffic increase in Week 34

U.S. rail traffic ticked up 1.4% to 511,574 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Aug. 27 compared with volumes in the same week in 2021, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads volume rose 3.4% to 242,633 units, while weekly intermodal volume dipped 0.3% to 268,941 containers and trailers.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks weekly posted increases for the week. They included coal, up 5,893 carloads to 74,295; grain, up 2,224 carloads to 19,458; and motor vehicles and parts, up 1,323 carloads to 14,624.

Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2021 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 1,228 carloads, to 9,642; metallic ores and metals, down 660 carloads, to 23,112; and forest products, down 419 carloads, to 9,834.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads posted 76,361 carloads for the week, up 1.8%, and 74,570 intermodal units, up 3.8%. Mexican railroads logged 21,753 carloads for the week, down 6.3%, and 16,321 intermodal units, up 4.3%.

For the first 34 weeks of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021:

• U.S. railroads reported 16,825,875 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.9%;

• Canadian railroads reported 4,897,939 carloads, containers and trailers, down 3%; and

• Mexican railroads reported 1,273,494 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1%.