WASHINGTON — Overall U.S. rail traffic in March was down 3% from 2021 levels, with reduced intermodal traffic accounting for the decline.
Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show the month’s carload traffic was up 1.2%, a total of 13,456 carloads, while intermodal traffic decreased by 6.4%, or 92,170 containers and trailers. The overall decline was 78,714 carloads and intermodal units.
“March was another mixed month for U.S. rail volumes,” AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray said in a press release. “It was the best month ever for carloads of chemicals while carloads of crushed stone and sand, food products, lumber and motor vehicles were higher than they’ve been in months. On the other hand, carloads of grain, petroleum products and paper products, among others, were down in March. These conflicting trends reflect an economy with a good deal of directional uncertainty; uncertainty that needs resolution before its full potential can be realized.”
Totals for the first three months of 2022 show carloads up 2.6% and intermodal traffic down 6.9% for an overall decrease of 2.7% compared to 2021.
Weekly totals also down
That 2.7% decline matches the overall-traffic figure for the week ending April 2. The week’s traffic included 231,963 carloads, up 0.6% from the same week in 2021, and 270,231 intermodal units, down 5.45.
North American totals for the week, from 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, include 333.927 carloads, up 2.8% from the corresponding week in 2021, and 359,728 intermodal units, down 3.5%. The total of 693,655 carloads and intermodal units represents a 0.5% decrease. Year-to-date total volume is down 3.7%.
With traffic down might as well remove some more sidings and locos ???????