WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic showed another week of mild decline for the week ending Aug. 19.
According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, the week’s total volume was 478,853 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.7% from the same week in 2022. That marks the seventh time in nine weeks the drop has been 3.2% or less, after larger weekly drops for most of the year.
The overall figure includes 228,973 carloads, a 0.6% decline from the corresponding week a year ago, and 249,881 containers and trailers, down 4.6%. The year-to-date figure, through 33 weeks, shows carload traffic up 0.2% and intermodal volume down 9.2%, for an overall drop of 4.9%.
North American traffic for the week, for 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, includes 335,400 carloads, up 0.9% from the same week a year ago, and 329,819 intermodal units, down 6.8%. The total of 665,219 carloads represents a drop of 3.1%. The 33-week total shows a 4% decline compared to the same period in 2022.
Carloads have really been in decline since the 2008 Great Recession, accelerated by coal’s forced demise. It really started when railroads gave up LTL freight and continues now as customer siding after siding grows rust. Without coal, and with railroads not interested in carload freight, I’m not sure this decline ever ends.
Kind of hard to really draw conclusions. Grain and Forest products only major reductions. We need to remember the weather has an effect. It has been either very hot or very wet here in the south. Grain harvests may be down. Need a department of agriculture report to know that. Around here all my persons who know in construction have gotten way behind. A survey of lumber sellers might be interesting.
This could be tied into a slowing down of the economy in general. Business owners in my area tell me sales are down a little.
That marks the seventh time in nine weeks the drop has been 3.2% or less, after larger weekly drops for most of the year.
Odd comment. Is this supposed to be good news?
The slide to oblivion continues.