North American rail volume for the first 23 weeks of the year (ending June 10) on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads came in at 14,835,217 carloads and intermodal units. Cumulative volume in Canada was 3,677,515 carloads, containers and trailers, down 1.0%; in Mexico, 622,969 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1.1%; and in the U.S., 10,534,733 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.6%.
According to AAR, 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.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included nonmetallic minerals, up 2,388 carloads, to 34,892; motor vehicles and parts, up 2,248 carloads, to 15,996; and metallic ores and metals, up 785 carloads, to 21,167. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included grain, down 3,408 carloads, to 16,523; coal, down 897 carloads, to 65,710; and forest products, down 302 carloads, to 8,440.
For the first 23 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,167,885 carloads, up 0.7% from the same point last year; and 5,366,848 intermodal units, down 10.9% from last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending June 10, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 333,155 carloads, up 0.5% compared with the same week last year, and 326,138 intermodal units, down 10.2% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 659,293 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.1%. North American rail volume for the first 23 weeks of 2023 was 14,835,217 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.2% compared with 2022.
Canadian railroads reported 86,190 carloads for the week, down 3.9%, and 72,665 intermodal units, down 9.5% compared with the same week in 2022. For the first 23 weeks of 2023, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,677,515 carloads, containers and trailers, down 1.0%.
Mexican railroads reported 17,977 carloads for the week, up 26.0% compared with the same week last year, and 11,320 intermodal units, up 12.5%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 23 weeks of 2023 was 622,969 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1.1% from the same point last year.
