The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 19, 2023.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 478,853 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.7 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending August 19 were 228,972 carloads, down 0.6 percent compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 249,881 containers and trailers, down 4.6 percent compared to 2022.
Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 2,326 carloads, to 16,293; coal, up 1,486 carloads, to 69,773; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 781 carloads, to 9,420. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included grain, down 3,541 carloads, to 15,796; forest products, down 1,289 carloads, to 7,683; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 1,011 carloads, to 15,638.
For the first 33 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,394,978 carloads, up 0.2 percent from the same point last year; and 7,828,854 intermodal units, down 9.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 33 weeks of 2023 was 15,223,832 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 4.9 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending August 19, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 335,400 carloads, up 0.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 329,819 intermodal units, down 6.8 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 665,219 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.1 percent. North American rail volume for the first 33 weeks of 2023 was 21,354,794 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.0 percent compared with 2022.
Canadian railroads reported 90,149 carloads for the week, up 3.1 percent, and 71,108 intermodal units, down 12.6 percent compared with the same week in 2022. For the first 33 weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,204,561 carloads, containers and trailers, down 3.0 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 16,279 carloads for the week, up 11.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 8,830 intermodal units, down 16.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 33 weeks of 2023 was 926,401 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.9 percent from the same point last year.
To view the weekly rail charts, click here.
