For this week, total US weekly rail traffic was 518 290 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.1% compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending 26 September totalled 224 146 carloads (down 10.5% compared with the same week in 2019), while US weekly intermodal volumes amounted to 294 144 containers and trailers (up 5.5% compared to 2019).
Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2019. They were grain, up 7061 carloads, to 24 995; farm products excluding grain, and food, up 464 carloads, to 15 666; and motor vehicles and parts, up 421 carloads, to 16 340. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2019 included: coal (down 21 008 carloads to 58 220); non-metallic minerals (down 5 357 carloads to 29 977); and chemicals (down 2937 carloads to 30 078).
For the first 39 weeks of 2020, US railroads reported a cumulative volume of 8.36 million carloads (down 15.5% from the same point last year); and 9.75 million intermodal units (down 6.2% from last year). Total combined US traffic for the first 39 weeks of 2020 was 18.08 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 10.7% compared to last year.
North American rail volumes for the week ended 26 September 2020, based on 12 reporting US, Canadian, and Mexican railroads totalled 324 879 carloads (down 9% compared with the same week last year), and 388 753 intermodal units (up 4% compared with last year). Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 713 632 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.3%. North American rail volume for the first 39 weeks of 2020 was 24.91 million carloads and intermodal units (down 10% compared with 2019).
Canadian railroads reported 81 142 carloads for the week (down 3.4%) and 76 337 intermodal units (up 3.8% compared with the same week in 2019). For the first 39 weeks of 2020, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5.47 million carloads, containers, and trailers (down 7.7%).
Mexican railroads reported 19 591 carloads for the week (down 12.9% compared with the same week last year) and 18, 272 intermodal units (down 14.2%). Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 39 weeks of 2020 was 1.35 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down (9.8% from the same point last year).
