For the 51-week period ending Dec. 21, 2024, North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was 34,342,887 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers. Cumulative volume in the U.S. came in at 24,788,886 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.4% from the same point in 2023; in Mexico, 1,464,313 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.8%; and in Canada, 8,089,688 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.0%.
U.S. Class I railroads carried 523,912 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Dec. 21, 2024, up 7.8% from the prior-year period, according to the AAR. This comprised 230,857 carloads, up 0.3% from 2023, and 293,055 containers and trailers, up 14.6% from 2023.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included chemicals, up 2,678 carloads, to 35,174; nonmetallic minerals, up 2,223 carloads, to 29,063; and grain, up 783 carloads, to 21,932. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 5,060 carloads, to 61,126; metallic ores and metals, down 481 carloads, to 21,666; and motor vehicles and parts, down 441 carloads, to 15,845.
For the first 51 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,152,384 carloads, a 3.0% fall-off from the same point in 2023; and 13,636,502 intermodal units, a 9.3% gain over 2023.
North American rail volume for the week ending Dec. 21, 2024, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 338,812 carloads, dipping 0.6% from the same week last year, and 375,064 intermodal units, rising 10.5% from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 713,876 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.9%. North American rail volume for the first 51 weeks of this year came in at 34,342,887 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3% compared with 2023.
Canadian railroads reported 92,807 carloads for the week ending Dec. 21, 2024, decreasing 1.1%, and 69,112 intermodal units, dropping 1.6% from the same point last year.
For the week ending Dec. 21, 2024, Mexican railroads reported 15,148 carloads, decreasing 9.1% from the prior-year period, and 12,897 intermodal units, dropping 4.1%.
