WASHINGTON – Rail traffic declined 4.1% in the U.S. last week compared to the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads reported yesterday.
Total carloads for the week ending Jan. 13 were down 10.2% compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was up 1.9% compared to 2023.
Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They were chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, and forest products. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal; grain; and nonmetallic minerals.
For the first two weeks of 2024, U.S. carload volume was down 5% from the same point last year, while intermodal was up 2.7%. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first two weeks of 2024 was down 1.1% compared to last year.
North American carload volume for the week ending Jan. 13 on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads declined 9.1% compared with the same week last year, while intermodal was up 0.4%. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was down 4.6%.
Canadian railroads reported their volume was down 4.9% for the week, while Mexican railroads saw a 19% increase.
