The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending December 16, 2023.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 502,583 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.6 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending December 16 were 234,449 carloads, up 6.5 percent compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 268,134 containers and trailers, up 8.6 percent compared to 2022.
All of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included coal, up 3,873 carloads, to 65,450; grain, up 2,599 carloads, to 24,275; and chemicals, up 2,337 carloads, to 32,483.
For the first 50 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,288,867 carloads, up 0.3 percent from the same point last year; and 12,222,775 intermodal units, down 5.5 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 50 weeks of 2023 was 23,511,642 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 2.8 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending December 16, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 347,860 carloads, up 4.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 352,485 intermodal units, up 6.7 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 700,345 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.7 percent. North American rail volume for the first 50 weeks of 2023 was 32,902,626 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.7 percent compared with 2022.
Canadian railroads reported 97,399 carloads for the week, up 4.3 percent, and 72,910 intermodal units, up 2.4 percent compared with the same week in 2022. For the first 50 weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 8,004,143 carloads, containers and trailers, down 3.0 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 16,012 carloads for the week, down 13.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,441 intermodal units, down 7.3 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 50 weeks of 2023 was 1,386,841 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.3 percent from the same point last year.
To view the weekly traffic charts, click here.
