Intermodal drives up U.S. freight-rail traffic in Week 39

U.S. freight railroads hauled 507,537 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending Sept. 28, a 1.6% increase compared with volumes moved during the same week last year, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Total carloads hauled were 227,046, down 3.5%, while intermodal volume was 280,491 containers and trailers, up 6.2%.

Four of the 10 AAR-tracked carload commodity groups posted increases during the week, including grain, up 13.2% to 20,941 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, up 4.6% to 16,705; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 6.1% to 10,782.

Commodity groups that reported decreases included coal, down 10.3% to 60,885 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, down 9.4% to 30,583; and metallic ores and metals, down 8.1% to 21,213.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 96,659 carloads for the week, down 1.6%, and 70,390 intermodal units, down 0.3%. Mexican railroads reported 14,383 carloads for the week, down 17%, and 11,873 intermodal units, down 11.4%.

For the first 39 weeks of 2024 compared to the same weeks in 2023:

• U.S. railroads reported 18,683,645 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.3% increase;

• Canadian railroads posted 6,183,042 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.1%; and

• Mexican railroads hauled 1,132,631 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.9% increase.