The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending November 24, 2018.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 470,851 carloads and intermodal units, up 3 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending November 24 were 232,954 carloads, up 1.7 percent compared with the same week in 2017, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 237,897 containers and trailers, up 4.3 percent compared to 2017.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2017. They included petroleum and petroleum products, up 3,501 carloads, to 12,329; grain, up 1,373 carloads, to 20,061; and chemicals, up 846 carloads, to 27,851. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2017 were nonmetallic minerals, down 3,147 carloads, to 25,346; farm products excl. grain, and food, down 461 carloads, to 14,013; and motor vehicles and parts, down 202 carloads, to 14,132.
For the first 47 weeks of 2018, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 12,343,939 carloads, up 1.8 percent from the same point last year; and 13,083,203 intermodal units, up 5.6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 47 weeks of 2018 was 25,427,142 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.7 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending November 24, 2018, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 336,379 carloads, up 2.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 324,042 intermodal units, up 3.8 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 660,421 carloads and intermodal units, up 3 percent. North American rail volume for the first 47 weeks of 2018 was 34,355,400 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.4 percent compared with 2017.
Canadian railroads reported 84,509 carloads for the week, up 7.8 percent, and 68,592 intermodal units, up 4.6 percent compared with the same week in 2017. For the first 47 weeks of 2018, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,107,185 carloads, containers and trailers, up 3.9 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 18,916 carloads for the week, down 11.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 17,553 intermodal units, down 5.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 47 weeks of 2018 was 1,821,073 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers.
