U.S. rail carloads held steady, intermodal volume fell in Week 12

Intermodal volumes continued to weigh on U.S. freight-rail traffic totals during the week ending March 26, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

U.S. railroads logged 271,262 containers and trailers, down 6.2%, and 233,555 carloads, up 0.5% compared with totals from the same week a year ago. U.S. rail volume for the week totaled 504,817 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.2%.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted increases during the week, including coal, up 5,140 carloads to 66,504; chemicals, up 2,206 carloads to 34,264; and motor vehicles and parts, up 826 carloads to 14,341.

Commodity groups that posted year-over-year decreases included petroleum and petroleum products, down 2,056 carloads to 8,638; grain, down 1,999 carloads to 22,516; and metallic ores and metals, down 1,449 carloads to 20,492.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads posted 75,338 carloads for the week, down 10.5%, and 65,476 intermodal units, down 12.3%. Mexican railroads reported 21,858 carloads, up 9%, and 15,811 intermodal units, up 5%.

For the first 12 weeks of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021:
• U.S. railroads reported  5,854,844 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.7%;
• Canadian railroads reported 1,628,488 carloads, containers and trailers, down 10.35; and
• Mexican railroads reported 449,309 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.7%.