WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic remained ahead of 2022 levels for the week ending Dec. 9, the fifth straight week with volume in positive territory.
The latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads show total traffic for the week was 499,094 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.7% increase over the same week a year ago. That included 229,424 carloads, down 2.5% from the corresponding week in 2022, and 269,670 containers and trailers, up 5.5%.
Year-to-date figures, through 49 weeks, show carload traffic up 0.1% and intermodal traffic down 5.8%, for an overall decline of 3% compared to the same period in 2022.
North American volume for the week ending Dec. 9, based on information from 12 reporting, U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, includes 338,908 carloads, down 2.4% compared with the corresponding week in 2022, and 352,675 intermodal units, up 3.8%. The total volume of 691,583 carloads and intermodal units represents a 0.6% increase. Year-to-date volume for North America is down 2.8% compared to a year ago.