AAR: U.S. freight-rail volumes surged 3.8% in June

U.S. railroads logged 1,960,510 carloads, containers and trailers in June, a 3.8% increase compared with volume in June 2023, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Last month, the U.S. railroads hauled 885,864 carloads, down 1.7%, and 1,074,646 containers and trailers, up. 8.7%.

In June, 11 of the 20 carload commodity categories that AAR tracks each month posted gains compared to last year’s levels. These included grain, 17.5%; chemicals, up 6.7%; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 14%. Commodities that posted declines last month included coal, down 10.4%; crushed stone, sand and gravel, down 11.2%; and all other carloads, down 16.9%.

"June rail traffic continued the trends we've seen throughout the first half of 2024, with coal shipments declining and pulling total carloads below 2023 levels," said AAR Chief Economist Rand Ghayad in a press release.

However, the decline is balanced with growth in other sectors, including chemicals, motor vehicles and intermodal shipments, Ghayad said.

“Freight rail serves as a reflection of the broader economy, and the increase in motor vehicles and intermodal traffic indicates resilient consumer spending across various industries,” he added.

Year over year, U.S. railroads moved 5,569,374 carloads, down 4.5%, and 6,643,110 intermodal units, up 8.7%, in the first half of 2024. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 26 weeks of 2024 was 12,212,484 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.2%.