WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic suffered a steep decline in the week ending Feb. 20, a week in which severe winter weather disrupted rail traffic from coast to coast.
Weekly statistics from the Association of American Railroads show overall rail traffic down 21.7% for the week, compared to the same week in 2020. The 206,262 containers and trailers represented a 17.4% decrease, while the 171,642 carloads equaled a 26.3% drop. Every carload group saw a double-digit decline over 2020 figures except for grain, down just 0.5%.
Year-to-date totals have intermodal traffic up 6.5% over the same point in 2020 and carloads down 6.3% for a net gain in traffic of 0.4%.
Overall North American traffic, for 12 reporting railroads in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, showed similar declines: carloads were down 22.2% and intermodal traffic was down 11.9% for a total decline of 17.1%. Canada fared better, with overall traffic down just 0.6%, thanks to a 13.8% increase in intermodal units while carloads were down 11.1%.
