U.S. freight-rail traffic rose 4.2% in Week 43

U.S. freight railroads hauled 519,415 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Oct. 26, a 4.2% increase compared with traffic levels in the same week in 2023, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads totaled 228,829, up 0.9%, while intermodal volume reached 290,586 containers and trailers, up 6.9%.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks every week posted an increase. They include motor vehicles and parts, up 17.2% to 16,444 carloads; chemicals, up 4.8% to 32,838; and farm products excluding grain, and food, up 7.8% to 18,091.

Commodities that posted decreases were coal, down 5% to 59,981 carloads; metallic ores and metals, down 11.5% to 18,085; and nonmetallic minerals, down 1% to 32,084 carloads.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 97,007 carloads for the week, up 0.7%, and 71,773 intermodal units, up 2%. Mexican railroads posted 14,939 carloads, down 12.1%, and 14,230 intermodal units, up 8%.

For the first 43 weeks of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023:

• U.S. railroads logged 20,705,010 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.1% increase;

• Canadian railroads reported 6,846,120 carloads, containers and trailers, with no change; and

• Mexican railroads posted 1,243,815 carloads, containers and trailers, a 2.6% gain.