North American rail volume for the first 34 weeks of this year on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads came in at 22,504,112 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 16,135,628 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9% from 2023; in Canada, 5,385,867 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.5%; and in Mexico, 982,617 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.8%.
For the week ending Aug. 24, 2024, U.S. Class I railroads moved a total of 516,807 carloads and intermodal units, up 9.5% compared with the same week last year, the AAR reported Aug. 28. This comprised 228,858 carloads, up 1.2% from 2023, and 287,949 containers and trailers, up 17.1% compared with 2023.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included grain, up 5,519 carloads, to 18,914; petroleum and petroleum products, up 951 carloads, to 10,867; and miscellaneous carloads, up 602 carloads, to 9,360. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 were coal, down 5,785 carloads, to 62,543; nonmetallic minerals, down 329 carloads, to 32,891; and metallic ores and metals, down 212 carloads, to 21,812.
For the first 34 weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,324,543 carloads, dipping 3.7% from prior-year period; and 8,811,085 intermodal units, gaining 9.1% over 2023.
North American rail volume for the week ending August 24, 2024, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 310,429 carloads, down 4.5% compared with the same week last year, and 350,204 intermodal units, up 7.1% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 660,633 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.3%.
Canadian railroads logged 65,550 carloads for the week ending Aug. 24, 2024, down 22.0%, and 49,890 intermodal units, down 28.0% compared with the same week in 2023.
For the week ending Aug. 24, 2024, Mexican railroads reported 16,021 carloads for the week, up 6.8% compared with the same week last year, and 12,365 intermodal units, up 5.7%.
