WASHINGTON — Continuing the trend that has continued for most of 2022, weekly U.S. rail traffic remains below 2021 levels, mostly because of intermodal traffic.
For the week ending March 19, 2022, the overall volume of 499,362 carloads and intermodal units represented a 2.7% decrease from the same week a year earlier, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads. That included 232,770 carloads, up 1.1%, and 266,592 containers and trailers, down 5.7%. The weekly total remained ahead of the weekly average for 2022, currently at 486,366 carloads and intermodal units.
Half of the 10 carload commodities tracked by the AAR showed increases for the week, led by chemicals, up 8.4%. The biggest loss among the commodities showing decreases was in petroleum and petroleum products, down 21.1%.
For the first 11 weeks of 2022, overall traffic is down 2.6%, with carloads up 3% and intermodal down 7.1%.
North American figures for the week, from 12 U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, were down 3.5% at 677,006 carloads and intermodal units. The 328,840 carloads represent a 0.7% decline, while the 348,166 intermodal units marked a 6% decrease. Year-to-date total volume for North American is down 4%.
