WASHINGTON — For the first time this year, weekly U.S. rail traffic has exceeded 2021 levels.
According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, carload and intermodal traffic for the week ending Feb. 12 was 504,483 units, a 5% increase over the corresponding week in 2021. That includes 236,457 carloads, an 11.9% increase, and 268,025, down just 0.4% from a year ago.
Seven of 10 carload commodities tracked by the AAR showed increases, with three — coal, nonmetallic minerals, and farm products excluding grain and food — showing increases of 13.6% to 26.9%. The categories that were down showed modes decreases of 2.2 to 3.4%.
Year-to-date totals remain well below 2021 levels, with overall traffic down 6.9% and intermodal trailers and containers down 11.8%. Carload traffic is down 0.8%. The average weekly traffic through six weeks is 477,724 carloads and intermodal units.
North American traffic, for 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, was also up for the week at 680,573 carloads and intermodal units, a 4.3% gain over the corresponding week in 2021. That includes 329,598 carloads, up 9.3%, and 350,974 intermodal units, down 0.1%. Year-to-date total volume for North America is down 7.9%.
