AAR: Carloads Up, Intermodal Down for Week Ending June 17

For the week ending June 17, 2023, carloads came in at 228,724—a 1.2% increase from the same week last year—and intermodal volume was 248,402 containers and trailers—a 6.5% decrease from last year, the AAR reported June 21. Total rail traffic was 477,126 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.0% compared with the prior-year period.

The previous three weeks’ results were similar:

• For the week ending June 10, 2023, U.S. Class I railroads hauled a total of 471,141 carloads and intermodal units, falling 5.9% compared with the same week last year. This comprises 228,988 carloads —up 0.6% from the prior-year period—and 242,153 containers and trailers—down 11.2% compared with 2022.
• Total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 439,601 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending June 3, 2023. This was down 5.7% compared with the same week last year. U.S. Class I’s carried 219,289 carloads, up 0.4% from the same week in 2022, and 220,312 containers and trailers, down 11.1% from 2022.
• For the week ending May 27, 2023, U.S. Class I’s hauled a total of 480,998 carloads and intermodal units, falling 4.8% compared with the same week last year. This consists of 235,307 carloads —up 3.5% from the prior-year period—and 245,691 containers and trailers—down 11.6% compared with 2022.

According to the AAR, seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase for the week ending June 17, 2023, compared with the same week in 2022. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 2,914 carloads, to 16,215; nonmetallic minerals, up 2,599 carloads, to 34,495; and metallic ores and metals, up 2,341 carloads, to 22,124. Commodity groups that posted declines were grain, down 4,892 carloads, to 15,795; chemicals, down 2,084 carloads, to 29,780; and forest products, down 272 carloads, to 8,284.

For the first 24 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,396,609 carloads, up 0.7% from the same point last year; and 5,615,250 intermodal units, down 10.7% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 24 weeks of 2023 was 11,011,859 carloads and intermodal units, a 5.5% drop-off from the year-earlier period.

North American rail volume for the week ending June 17, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads came in at a total of 332,282 carloads, rising 1.3% from the same week last year, and 333,358 intermodal units, falling 5.5% from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 665,640 carloads and intermodal units, dipping 2.3%. North American rail volume for the first 24 weeks of 2023 was 15,500,857 carloads and intermodal units, decreasing 4.1% compared with 2022.

Canadian railroads reported 86,539 carloads for the week ending June 17, 2023, down 1.4%, and 72,939 intermodal units, down 4.9% from the same week last year. For the first 24 weeks of 2023, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,836,993 carloads, containers and trailers, down 1.0%.

Mexican railroads reported 17,019 carloads for the week ending June 17, 2023, a 18.7% gain from the same week last year, and 12,017 intermodal units, a 15.6% increase. Their cumulative volume for the first 24 weeks of 2023 was 652,005 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1.7% compared with the prior-year period.