The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 22, 2018.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 567,078 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.9 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending September 22 were 272,615 carloads, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week in 2017, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 294,463 containers and trailers, up 5.7 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 3,934 carloads, to 13,131; grain, up 3,689 carloads, to 23,297; and coal, up 3,490 carloads, to 87,890. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2017 were metallic ores and metals, down 1,241 carloads, to 24,132; nonmetallic minerals, down 882 carloads, to 38,505; and motor vehicles and parts, down 822 carloads, to 17,001.
For the first 38 weeks of 2018, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,976,253 carloads, up 2 percent from the same point last year; and 10,532,388 intermodal units, up 6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 38 weeks of 2018 was 20,508,641 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 4 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending September 22, 2018, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 377,956 carloads, up 3.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 388,775 intermodal units, up 4.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 766,731 carloads and intermodal units, up 4 percent. North American rail volume for the first 38 weeks of 2018 was 27,658,477 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.7 percent compared with 2017.
Canadian railroads reported 84,859 carloads for the week, up 4.1 percent, and 75,455 intermodal units, up 3.4 percent compared with the same week in 2017. For the first 38 weeks of 2018, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,681,405 carloads, containers and trailers, up 3.8 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 20,482 carloads for the week, down 3.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 18,857 intermodal units, down 9.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 38 weeks of 2018 was 1,468,431 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers.
