WASHINGTON — Carload traffic, which has long lagged behind previous-year totals, was down less than a percent in the latest U.S. rail traffic figures released by the Association of American Railroads. Overall, traffic for the week ending Jan. 23 included 529,030 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 9%, with 298,051 containers and trailers (a 17.8% increase) and 230,979 carloads, down 0.7%.
Grain, up 25.1% to 27,295 carloads, led the percentage increase in commodity categories over the same week a year ago. Five of 10 carload categories were in positive territory, while five showed decreases ranging from 0.3% to 9.6%. Early year-to-date figures show carloads down 1.4%, intermodal up 13.6%, and total traffic up 6.5%.
North American totals, for 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, include 334,360 carloads, up 0.4%; 389,102 intermodal units, up 14.4%, and 723,462 total carloads and units, up 7.4. Canadian railrods moved 82,307 carloads, up 1.6%, and 73,769 intermodal units, an increase of 7.2%.
