WASHINGTON — U.S. rail carload traffic remains below 2019 levels for the week ending Oct. 10, although the gap appears to be decreasing. Strong intermodal traffic again created an overall increase over the same week ago, according to statistics released by the Association of American Railroads.
Carload traffic was down 5.2% compared to 2019 — a decrease from the 5.9% percent decrease of the previous week — while intermodal units were up 8.4%, creating a 1.9% increase in total traffic. Four commodity groups — petroleum and petroleum products, coal, nonmetallic minerals, and motor vehicles and parts — accounted for all of the carload decrease, with all down more than 10%.
For the year to date, overall traffic is down 10.1%. Intermodal is down 5.5%, and every commodity group is also down, led by the 26.7% drop in coal.
