WASHINGTON — Continuing the trend for the year to date, U.S. rail traffic remained down for the week ending Feb. 4, according to the latest statistics from the Association of American Railroads.
Volume for the week was 449,586 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.9% compared to the same week in 2022. So far, traffic has been down 1.7% or more in each of the five weeks of 2023.
The latest figure includes 216,700 carloads, down 0.9%, and 232,885 containers and trailers, down 2.9%. Year-to-date totals have carload traffic up 1.6% compared to the first five weeks of 2022, while intermodal traffic is down 7.1%, leading to a total decrease of 3%.
North American totals, for 12 U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, include 314,555 carloads, up 1.5%, and 305,639 intermodal units, down 4%, for a total of 620,194 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.3%. Year-to-date North American traffic totals are down 0.9% compared to a year ago.
I do wonder how much of the decline in traffic is related to all of UP’s embargos.
Yes, a good drinking game! (Got my railroad “Shot-glasses ” …)
Hey, at this point, take a drink every time an article says that Weekly rail traffic is down.