AAR: North American freight-rail traffic rose in 2021

U.S. freight-rail traffic rose 5.7% to 26,152,716 carloads and intermodal units in 2021 compared with 2020 levels, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Year over year, total carload traffic climbed 6.6% to 12,010,274 units, while intermodal volume increased 4.9% to 14,142,442 containers and trailers.

Rail traffic in 2021 was "substantially higher" in most commodity categories, said AAR Senior Vice President John Gray in a press release.

"On the carload side, chemicals set a new annual record and grain had its best year since 2008," Gray said. "Coal carloads were up substantially because of sharply higher natural gas prices, while carloads of motor vehicles suffered as microchip shortages forced automakers to cut output."

For intermodal traffic, the first half of the year set a record, while the year’s second half gave way to lower volume due to supply-chain challenges, he said.

"Still, 2021 was the second-best U.S. intermodal year ever, behind only 2018," Gray added.

In December 2021, U.S. railroads originated 1,135,835 carloads, a 3.1% increase from the same month in 2020. On the intermodal side, U.S. railroads originated 1,224,780 containers and trailers last month, down 8.2%.

Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in December 2021 were 2,360,615, down 3.1% or 75,811 units from December 2020.

Also, for the 52 weeks of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020:
• Canadian railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,556,277 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.6%;
• Mexican railroads posted 1,876,229 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.7%; and
• North American rail volume was 35,585,222 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.5%.