WASHINGTON — Weekly U.S. rail traffic was once again above 2022 figures for the week ending Oct. 21, with total volume up 1.8%, according to figures from the Association of American Railroads.
Traffic for the week was 505,985 carloads and intermodal units. That included 234,893 carloads, an increase of 1.5% from the corresponding week a year ago, and 271,092 containers and trailers, a rise of 2.1%. it was the sixth consecutive week of traffic increases compared to 2022, after a traffic decline for most of 2023.
Through 42 weeks, carload traffic is up 0.3% while intermodal units are down 7.4% for an overall drop of 3.8% compared to the same period in 2022.
The week’s North American traffic, from 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, included 384,134 carloads, up 0.3%, and 355,428 intermodal units, down 0.1%, for an overall figure of 703,562 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.1% compaired to the same week a year ago. Year-to-date traffic after 42 weeks is down 3.5% compared to the same period in 2022.
