Intermodal behind rail volume slump in Week 19

U.S. rail volume fell 5.9% to 466,381 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending May 13 compared to a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads totaled 225,571, a 0.9% increase, while containers and trailers totaled 240,810, an 11.5% decrease.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks weekly posted increases. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 22.7%; petroleum and petroleum products, up 18.1%; and nonmetallic minerals, up 3.2%.

Commodity groups posting decreases included grain, down 9.8%; miscellaneous carloads, down 13.9%; and farm products excluding grain, and food, down 2.9%.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads logged 89,784 carloads, a 4.7% increase, and 70,736 containers and trailers, a 15% decrease, for the week. Mexican railroads posted 17,123 carloads, a 5% increase, and 10,844 intermodal units, a 5.2% decrease.

For the first 19 weeks of 2023 compared with the same week in 2022:
• U.S. railroads reported 8,673,234 carloads and intermodal units, a 5.6% decrease;
• Canadian railroads reported 3,036,897 carloads, containers and trailers, a 0.2% decrease;
• Mexican railroads reported 522,423 carloads, containers and trailers, a 1.4% increase; and
• Combined, North American rail volume was 12,232,554 carloads and intermodal units, a 4% decrease.