WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic remains sluggish, with carloads and intermodal traffic below 2021 levels by weekly and year-to-date measures.
For the week ending July 16, statistics from the Association of American Railroads show overall traffic at 498,899 carloads and intermodal units, a 2.8 decrease from the corresponding week in 2021. The total includes 229,809 carloads, down 2.4%, and 269,090 containers and trailers, down 3.2%.
Through 28 weeks of 2022, overall U.S. traffic is down 3.4%, with carloads down 0.3% and intermodal trailers and containers down 6%.
Weekly figures for North America, as reported by 12 U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, include 325,650 carloads, down 0.8% from the same week a year ago, and 355,716 intermodal units, down 1 percent. The total figure for the week of 681,366 carloads and intermodal units represents a 0.9% increase.
Year-to-date figures through 28 weeks show overall North American volume down by 3.3%, with carload traffic down 0.9% and intermodal units showing a 5.5% decrease.
