U.S. rail volumes fell 4.4% in Week 38

U.S. freight-rail traffic declined 4.4% to 489,111 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Sept. 24 compared with the same period in 2021, according to Association of American Railroads data.

The railroads logged 231,258 carloads, down 3.2%, and 257,853 containers and trailers, down 5.4%.

Three of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks weekly posted increases. They were motor vehicles and parts, up 1,610 carloads to 13,165; coal, up 819 carloads to 70,697; and nonmetallic minerals, up 372 carloads to 34,436. 

Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2021 included metallic ores and metals, down 3,405 carloads to 20,708; grain, down 2,276 carloads to 19,540; and chemicals, down 1,758 carloads to 30,261.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads posted 79,152 carloads for the week, down 1.2%, and 68,448 intermodal units, down 3.6%. Mexican railroads reported 22,855 carloads, up 22.4%, and 15,718 intermodal units, up 15.3%.

For the first 38 weeks of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021:

• U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 18,782,988 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.7%;

• Canadian railroads reported 5,499,480 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.4%; and

• Mexican railroads reported 1,417,850 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.5%.