The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 1, 2023, as well as volumes for March 2023.

U.S. railroads originated 1,164,052 carloads in March 2023, down 1.2 percent, or 13,794 carloads, from March 2022. U.S. railroads also originated 1,159,656 containers and trailers in March 2023, down 13.3 percent, or 178,555 units, from the same month last year. Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in March 2023 were 2,323,708, down 7.6 percent, or 192,349 carloads and intermodal units from March 2022.

In March 2023, 10 of the 20 carload commodity categories tracked by the AAR each month saw carload gains compared with March 2022. These included: motor vehicles & parts, up 5,476 carloads or 7.9 percent; petroleum & petroleum products, up 4,280 carloads or 9.4 percent; and coal, up 4,146 carloads or 1.2 percent. Commodities that saw declines in March 2023 from March 2022 included: grain, down 14,135 carloads or 12.4 percent; chemicals, down 8,482 carloads or 4.9 percent; and stone, clay & glass products, down 3,044 carloads or 8.0 percent.

“Rail volumes today are being negatively influenced by broader economic trends, including slowdowns in industrial output, high inventory levels at many retailers, lower port activity, and consumer spending that’s not as robust as it was during most of the last three years,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray.  “To date, there are no clear economic indicators that suggest this uncertainty will not continue into the immediate future.”

Excluding coal, carloads were down 17,940 carloads, or 2.1 percent, in March 2023 from March 2022. Excluding coal and grain, carloads were down 3,805 carloads, or 0.5 percent.

Total U.S. carload traffic for the first three months of 2023 was 2,993,492 carloads, down 0.3 percent, or 9,068 carloads, from the same period last year; and 3,023,563 intermodal units, down 10.3 percent, or 346,349 containers and trailers, from last year.

Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 13 weeks of 2023 was 6,017,055 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 5.6 percent compared to last year.

Week ending April 1, 2023

Total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 467,430 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.4 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending April 1 were 233,413 carloads, down 0.4 percent compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 234,017 containers and trailers, down 13.4 percent compared to 2022.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included metallic ores and metals, up 2,353 carloads, to 23,440; petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,566 carloads, to 10,127; and motor vehicles and parts, up 1,117 carloads, to 14,874. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included chemicals, down 1,788 carloads, to 33,347; grain, down 1,657 carloads, to 20,628; and nonmetallic minerals, down 1,331 carloads, to 30,702.

North American rail volume for the week ending April 1, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 341,360 carloads, up 1.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 308,322 intermodal units, down 14.0 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 649,682 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first 13 weeks of 2023 was 8,314,939 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.6 percent compared with 2022.

Canadian railroads reported 85,070 carloads for the week, up 5.4 percent, and 58,855 intermodal units, down 19.2 percent compared with the same week in 2022. For the first 13 weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 1,817,017 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 2.0 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 22,877 carloads for the week, up 13.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 15,450 intermodal units, up 1.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 13 weeks of 2023 was 480,867 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1.4 percent from the same point last year.

To view the weekly rail traffic charts, click here.