U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Oct. 26, 2024 (Week 43) came in at 519,415 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.2% from the same week last year, based on 228,829 carloads—up 0.9% from 2023—and intermodal volume of 290,586 containers and trailers—up 6.9% from 2023, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Oct. 30.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023, according to AAR. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 2,408 carloads, to 16,444; chemicals, up 1,506 carloads, to 32,838; and farm products excluding grain, and food, up 1,308 carloads, to 18,091. Commodity groups that posted declines were coal, down 3,132 carloads, to 59,981; metallic ores and metals, down 2,341 carloads, to 18,085; and nonmetallic minerals, down 332 carloads, to 32,084.
For the first 43 weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,371,430 carloads, a 3.2% fall-off from the same point last year; and 11,333,580 intermodal units, a 8.9% gain over last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 43 weeks of this year came in at 20,705,010 carloads and intermodal units, rising 3.1% from 2023.
North American rail volume for the week ending Oct. 26, 2024, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 340,775 carloads, up 0.2% compared with the same week last year, and 376,589 intermodal units, up 6.0% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 717,364 carloads and intermodal units, increasing 3.1%. North American rail volume for the first 43 weeks of 2024 was 28,794,945 carloads and intermodal units, a 2.3% increase from 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 97,007 carloads for the week ending Oct. 26, 2024, up 0.7%, and 71,773 intermodal units, up 2.0% from the same point last year. For the first 43 weeks of 2024, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,846,120 carloads, containers and trailers, flat with 2023.
For the week ending Oct. 26, 2024, Mexican railroads reported 14,939 carloads, dropping 12.1% from the prior-year period, and 14,230 intermodal units, rising 8.0%. Their cumulative volume for the first 43 weeks of this year was 1,243,815 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.6% from 2023.
