The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending November 18, 2023.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 501,416 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.0 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending November 18 were 237,416 carloads, up 3.8 percent compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 264,000 containers and trailers, up 4.1 percent compared to 2022.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included coal, up 3,185 carloads, to 69,630; chemicals, up 2,519 carloads, to 32,295; and motor vehicles and parts, up 1,632 carloads, to 15,260. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 were grain, down 475 carloads, to 24,483; miscellaneous carloads, down 442 carloads, to 7,588; and metallic ores and metals, down 68 carloads, to 20,837.
For the first 46 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,391,997 carloads, up 0.2 percent from the same point last year; and 11,193,010 intermodal units, down 6.5 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 46 weeks of 2023 was 21,585,007 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 3.4 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending November 18, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 351,368 carloads, up 3.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 343,001 intermodal units, up 1.7 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 694,369 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.8 percent. North American rail volume for the first 46 weeks of 2023 was 30,221,325 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.1 percent compared with 2022.
Canadian railroads reported 98,560 carloads for the week, up 3.7 percent, and 66,904 intermodal units, down 8.8 percent compared with the same week in 2022. For the first 46 weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,340,071 carloads, containers and trailers, down 3.3 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 15,392 carloads for the week, up 3.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 12,097 intermodal units, up 17.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 46 weeks of 2023 was 1,296,247 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.1 percent from the same point last year.
To view the weekly traffic reports, click here.
