WASHINGTON — In a rare occurrence for 2022, U.S. freight rail traffic for the week ending Aug. 20 was up over the same week a year ago — albeit by the barest of margins.
According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, traffic for the week was 501,548 carloads and intermodal units — an increase of 275 carloads and units, or 0.1%, over the total of 501,273 for the corresponding week in 2021. That includes 237,404 carloads, up 2.9%, and 264,144 intermodal units, down 2.4%.
Carload traffic was up in seven of the 10 categories tracked by the AAR, led by grain (up 15.6%) and farm products excluding grain and food, up 14.3%.
Year-to-date totals through 33 weeks have carload traffic even with 2021 levels, while intermodal units are down 5.5%, for a total decline of 3%. The weekly average is 494,373 carloads and intermodal units.
North American totals, for 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, include 334,389 carloads, up 2.3%; 354,588 intermodal units, down 1.7%, and overall traffic of 688,977 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.2%. Year-to-date totals for North America, through 33 weeks, are down 2.8% compared to 2021.
