For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 521,927 carloads and intermodal units, up 10.6% compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending Nov. 23 were 251,901 carloads, up 7.6% compared with the same week in 2018, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 270,026 containers and trailers, up 13.5% compared to 2018.
Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2018. They included nonmetallic minerals, up 7,573 carloads, to 33,069; chemicals, up 3,972 carloads, to 31,834; and motor vehicles and parts, up 3,625 carloads, to 17,757. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2018: coal, down 6,205 carloads, to 75,859.
For the first 47 weeks of 2019, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,829,176 carloads, down 4.2% from the same point last year; and 12,519,862 intermodal units, down 4.3% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 47 weeks of 2019 was 24,349,038 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 4.2% compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending Nov. 23, 2019, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 342,235 carloads, up 1.3% compared with the same week last year, and 351,821 intermodal units, up 8.6% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 694,056 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.9%. North American rail volume for the first 47 weeks of 2019 was 33,234,029 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.3% compared with 2018.
Canadian railroads reported 70,768 carloads for the week, down 16.4%, and 65,247 intermodal units, down 5.4% compared with the same week in 2018. For the first 47 weeks of 2019, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,108,842 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.0%.
Mexican railroads reported 19,566 carloads for the week, up 3% compared with the same week last year, and 16,548 intermodal units, down 4%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 47 weeks of 2019 was 1,776,149 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 2.6% from the same point last year.
— From an Association of American Railroads news release.
Still…….down 4.2% in a healthy economy with a truck driver shortage.
The volume drops for the Canadian railways shouldn’t be too impacted by American Thanksgiving, but will be impacted by the CN strike.
I agree, Jim. The only numbers that really matter are YTD. Railroads have been in a self-imposed recession for over a year. What will they do when the economy takes a serious downturn?
The uptick is due to the next round of tariffs go into effect Dec. 15 Retailers aren’t taking a chance..