The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 4, 2024. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 463,106 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.0 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending May 4 were 213,410 carloads, down 5.1 percent compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 249,696 containers and trailers, up 4.9 percent compared to 2023.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,611 carloads, to 10,628; miscellaneous carloads, up 1,610 carloads, to 8,184; and grain, up 1,193 carloads, to 21,725. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 were coal, down 15,611 carloads, to 46,928; nonmetallic minerals, down 1,615 carloads, to 32,965; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 731 carloads, to 15,381.
For the first 18 weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,836,119 carloads, down 4.8 percent from the same point last year; and 4,536,912 intermodal units, up 8.7 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 18 weeks of 2024 was 8,373,031 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.1 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending May 4, 2024, on 10 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 324,302 carloads, down 0.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 337,489 intermodal units, up 5.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 661,791 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.2 percent. North American rail volume for the first 18 weeks of 2024 was 11,813,804 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.1 percent compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 94,801 carloads for the week, up 7.4 percent, and 76,026 intermodal units, up 5.7 percent compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 18 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,896,564 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.6 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 16,091 carloads for the week, up 12.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,767 intermodal units, up 13.4 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 18 weeks of 2024 was 544,209 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 10.5 percent from the same point last year.
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