North American Rail Volume Continues Decline Through Week 14: AAR

By Railway Age,

Through the first 14 weeks of 2023 (ending April 8), total North American carload and intermodal traffic dipped 3.9% from the same point last year, according to the Association of American Railroads’ (AAR) April 12 report. Both Canada and Mexico saw increases, while the U.S. experienced a drop-off.

North American rail volume for the first 14 weeks of this year (ending April 8) on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads came in at 8,950,311 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers. Cumulative volume in Canada was 1,954,736 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.9% from 2022; in Mexico, 527,184 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4%; and in the U.S., 6,468,391 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.8%.

According to the AAR, for the week ending April 8, 2023, U.S. Class I railroads hauled a total of 451,336 carloads and intermodal units, falling 11.2% from the same week in 2022. This comprises 225,669 carloads—down 4.6% from the prior-year period—and 225,667 containers and trailers—down 17.0% compared with 2022.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 977 carloads, to 14,331; petroleum and petroleum products, up 543 carloads, to 9,861; and metallic ores and metals, up 529 carloads, to 21,230. Commodity groups that posted declines included grain, down 4,158 carloads, to 20,105; coal, down 3,655 carloads, to 62,070; and chemicals, down 3,615 carloads, to 31,525.

For the first 14 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,219,161 carloads, down 0.1% from the same point last year; and 3,249,230 intermodal units, down 10.8% from last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending April 8, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 325,473 carloads, a 4.0% decrease vs. the year-earlier period, and 293,300 intermodal units, a 19.4% drop from 2022. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 618,773 carloads and intermodal units, a 12.0% fall-off.

Canadian railroads reported 78,797 carloads for the week ending April 8, 2023, down 0.3%, and 58,922 intermodal units, down 21.9% from the same week in 2022.

For the week ending April 8, 2023, Mexican railroads reported 21,007 carloads, falling 11.2% from the year-ago period, and 8,711 intermodal units, plunging 47.8%.