North American rail volume for the first 28 weeks of this year on 10 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads came in at 18,448,275 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 13,118,107 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.2% from 2023; in Canada, 4,499,547 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.0%; and in Mexico, 830,621 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.3%.
For the week ending July 13, 2024, U.S. Class I railroads moved a total of 483,806 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.3% compared with the same week last year, the AAR reported July 17. This comprised 215,400 carloads, down 4.3% from 2023, and 268,406 containers and trailers, up 6.3% compared with 2023. (U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 6, 2024, was similar—up 3.3% from the same week last year, with U.S. Class I’s hauling 195,030 carloads, down 1.2%, and 226,787 containers and trailers, up 7.6%.)
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included grain, up 5,557 carloads, to 21,606; farm products excl. grain, and food, up 736 carloads, to 17,137; and forest products, up 427 carloads, to 8,401. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 9,415 carloads, to 55,673; nonmetallic minerals, down 3,119 carloads, to 30,872; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2,910 carloads, to 11,763.
For the first 28 weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,979,804 carloads, dipping 4.4% from prior-year period; and 7,138,303 intermodal units, gaining 8.5% over 2023.
North American rail volume for the week ending July 13, 2024, totaled 318,065 carloads, down 3.8% from the same week last year, and 349,079 intermodal units, up 10.9% vs. 2023. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America came in at 667,144 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3%.
For the week ending July 13, 2024, Canadian railroads reported 86,936 carloads, decreasing 0.2%, and 68,356 intermodal units, rising 37.7% from the year-ago period.
Mexican railroads reported 15,729 carloads for the week ending July 13, 2024, a 15.7% fall-off from the same point last year, and 12,317 intermodal units, a 3.2% drop.
