Week 49: U.S. freight-rail volumes fell 2.5 percent

U.S. rail volumes fell 2.5% to 500,310 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Dec. 10 compared with the same week a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads data.

The freight railroads logged a combined 242,007 carloads during the week, a 1.3% increase. But their combined intermodal volume declined 5.8% to 258,303 containers and trailers.

Six of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks every week posted increases. They included coal, up 5,921 carloads to 72,541; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,514 carloads to 32,575; and motor vehicles and parts, up 1,107 carloads to 15,051.

Commodity groups that posted decreases included chemicals, down 5,042 carloads to 30,258; grain, down 1,067 carloads to 23,806; and forest products, down 607 carloads to 9,296.

Also during the week, Canadian railroads logged 80,453 carloads, an 11.5% increase, and 63,300 intermodal units, a 1.9% decrease compared with the same week a year ago. Meanwhile, Mexican railroads reported 22,828 carloads, up 13.4%, and 16,708 intermodal units, up 11.8%.

For the first 49 weeks of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021:

• U.S. railroads reported 24,186,689 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.6%;

• Canadian railroads reported 7,153,334 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.5%; and

• Mexican railroads reported 1,849,152 carloads, containers and trailers, up 3.8%.