U.S. freight-rail volume gains 8.4% in Week 35

U.S. freight railroads logged 516,632 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Aug. 31, a 8.4% increase compared with volumes during the same week last year, according to Association of American Railroads data.

The railroads during the week hauled 233,278 carloads, a 1% increase, and 283,354 containers and trailers, a 15.3% increase.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks every week posted gains. They included grain, up 36.6% to 20,494 carloads; petroleum and petroleum products, up 13.6% to 11,412; and motor vehicles and parts, up 7.1% to 17,221.

Commodity groups that posted decreases were coal, down 8.1% to 62,624 carloads; metallic ores and metals, down 6.4% to 21,616; and nonmetallic minerals, down 0.5% to 32,156.

Also during the week, Canadian railroads reported 94,106 carloads, a 4.7% year-over-year increase, and 58,491 intermodal units, an 18.8% decrease. Mexican railroads reported hauling 16,035 carloads, up 8.9%, and 12,272 containers and trailers, up 24.8%.

For the first 35 weeks of 2024 compared with the same period a year ago:

 • U.S. railroads reported 16,652,260 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.1%;

 • Canadian railroads logged 5,538,464 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.3%; and

 • Mexican railroads posted 1,010,924 carloads, containers and trailers, up 4.1%.