U.S. freight-rail traffic rose 3.4% in Week 24

Intermodal volumes continued to lift total U.S. freight-rail traffic levels in the week ending June 15, reflecting a trend that’s been in place for much of this year.

Last week, U.S. railroads logged 493,138 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.4% increase compared to the same week in 2023, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Total carloads for the week ending June 15 added up to 222,759 units, a 2.5% decrease. But intermodal volume climbed to 270,379 containers and trailers, an 8.9% increase.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks every week logged increases. They included chemicals, up 11.3% to 33,137 carloads; grain, up 21% to 19,150; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 9.4% to 11,046.

Commodity groups that posted decreases included coal, down 15.2% to 56,064 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, -9.6% to 31,197; and metallic ores and metals, -3.8% to 21,227.

Canadian railroads reported 90,460 carloads for the week, up 4%, and 74,665 intermodal units, up 2.6%. Over the same period, Mexican railroads logged 16,769 carloads, down 8.9%, and 12,311 intermodal units, down 10.7%.

For the first 24 weeks of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023:
• U.S. railroads hauled 11,235,028 carloads and intermodal units, a 2.1% increase;
• Canadian railroads reported 3,870,602 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.8%; and
• Mexican railroads posted 709,077 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.7%.