WASHINGTON — U.S. railroads’ traffic slump to begin 2022 extended to a fifth week, as railroads moved 458,152 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Feb. 5, a 7.6% drop from the same week in 2021.
Through five weeks of the new year, overall rail traffic is running 9.1% below 2021 levels, with intermodal traffic down 14% and carload traffic down 3.1%.
For the week ending Feb. 5, intermodal traffic was 239,866 containers and trailers, down 11% from the corresponding week in 2021. The 218,286 carloads represented a 3.6% decrease. Eight of the 10 carload commodities tracked by the AAR also showed decreases, the exceptions being chemicals, up 1%, and coal, up 7.8%. The most pronounced drop belonged to motor vehicles and parts, down 30.7%.
Overall North American traffic for the week, for 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, totaled 627,026 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.6% from the same week in 2021. That included 308,622 carloads, down 4.4%, and 318,404 intermodal units, down 10.6%. Total North American volume for the first five weeks is down 10% from 2021.
