U.S. freight-rail traffic falls 4.2% in Week 32

U.S. freight-rail traffic tumbled 4.2% to 472,498 carloads, containers and trailers in the week ending Aug. 12 compared with the same period in 2022, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads for the week totaled 224,412, down 3%, while intermodal volume totaled 248,086 containers and trailers, down 5.3%.

Three of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks weekly posted increases. They were: motor vehicles and parts, up 11.4%; petroleum and petroleum products, 16.6%; and miscellaneous carloads, 8.1%.

Commodity groups that posted decreases included grain, down 28.2%; chemicals, -5.9%; and forest products, -15.1%.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 87,490 carloads for the week, up 1.9%, and 70,907 intermodal units, down 14.7%. Mexican railroads logged 17,919 carloads for the week, up 19.8%, and 10,165 intermodal units, down 3.6%.

For the first 32 weeks of 2023 compared with the same period in 2022:
• U.S. railroads reported 14,744,979 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.9%;
• Canadian railroads logged 5,043,304 carloads, containers and trailers, down 3%; and
• Mexican railroads posted 901,292 carloads, containers and trailers, up 5%.