For the 46-week period ending Nov. 16, 2024, North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was 30,859,771 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers. Cumulative volume in the U.S. came in at 22,257,754 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.2% from the same point in 2023; in Mexico, 1,317,511 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.6%; and in Canada, 7,284,506 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.8%.
U.S. Class I railroads carried 516,886 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Nov. 16, 2024, up 3.2% from the prior-year period, according to the AAR. This comprised 223,659 carloads, down 5.6% from 2023, and 293,227 containers and trailers, up 11.1% from 2023.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,535 carloads, to 11,628; chemicals, up 867 carloads, to 33,170; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 575 carloads, to 18,103. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 11,573 carloads, to 57,661; metallic ores and metals, down 2,394 carloads, to 18,422; and nonmetallic minerals, down 1,758 carloads, to 29,446.
For the first 46 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,048,446 carloads, a 3.1% fall-off from the same point in 2023; and 12,209,308 intermodal units, a 9.1% gain over 2023.
North American rail volume for the week ending Nov. 16, 2024, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 333,382 carloads, dipping 4.3% from the same week last year, and 347,859 intermodal units, rising 1.8% from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 681,241 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.3%. North American rail volume for the first 46 weeks of this year came in at 30,859,771 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.2% compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 95,001 carloads for the week ending Nov. 16, 2024, decreasing 3.7%, and 40,905 intermodal units, dropping 38.7% from the same point last year.
For the week ending Nov. 16, 2024, Mexican railroads reported 14,722 carloads, increasing 17.1% from the prior-year period, and 13,727 intermodal units, rising 26.1%.
