WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was again ahead of 2023 levels for the week ending July 20, 2024, with overall volume up 1.4% compared to the same week last year, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads.
Railroads handled 480,083 carloads and intermodal units. That included 214,348 carloads, a 3.4% decrease from the same week in 2023, and 265,735 containers and trailers, a gain of 5.8%.
Through 29 weeks of 2024, carload volume is down 4.4% compared to the same period in 2023, while intermodal traffic is up 8.4%, for an overall increase of 2.2%.
North American traffic for the week, from 10 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, included 317,607 carloads, a 4.1% drop compared to the corresponding week in 2023, and 346,231 intermodal units, a 3.9% increase. The overall volume of 663,838 carloads represented a 0.1% decline from the same week a year ago. For the year to date, North American volume is up 2.3% compared to the same period in 2023. Canadian traffic is up 1.9% for the year to date, while Mexican volume is up 5.5%.
