North American rail traffic sees large decreases

For the week, total US weekly rail traffic was 483 806 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.3% compared with the same week in 2023.

Total carloads for the week ending 13 July were 215 400 carloads, down 4.3% compared with the same week in 2023, while US weekly intermodal volume was 268 406 containers and trailers, up 6.3% compared to 2023.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included grain, up 5557 carloads, to 21 606; farm products excl. grain, and food, up 736 carloads, to 17 137; and forest products, up 427 carloads, to 8401. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 9415 carloads, to 55 673; non-metallic minerals, down 3119 carloads, to 30 872; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2910 carloads, to 11 763.

For the first 28 weeks of 2024, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 5 979 804 carloads, down 4.4% from the same point in 2023; and 7 138 303 intermodal units, up 8.5% from 2023. Total combined US traffic for the first 28 weeks of 2024 was 13 118 107 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.2% compared to 2023.

North American rail volume for the week ending 13 July 2024, on 10 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 318 065 carloads, down 3.8% compared with the same week in 2023, and 349 079 intermodal units, up 10.9% compared with 2023. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 667 144 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3%. North American rail volume for the first 28 weeks of 2024 was 18 448 275 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4% compared with 2023.

Canadian railroads reported 86 936 carloads for the week, down 0.2%, and 68 356 intermodal units, up 37.7% compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 28 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4 499 547 carloads, containers and trailers, up 2.0%.

Mexican railroads reported 15 729 carloads for the week, down 15.7% compared with the same week in 2023, and 12 317 intermodal units, down 3.2%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 28 weeks of 2024 was 830 621 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 6.3% from the same point in 2023.