AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending October 26, 2024

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 26, 2024.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 519,415 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending October 26 were 228,829 carloads, up 0.9 percent compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 290,586 containers and trailers, up 6.9 percent compared to 2023.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 2,408 carloads, to 16,444; chemicals, up 1,506 carloads, to 32,838; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 1,308 carloads, to 18,091. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 were coal, down 3,132 carloads, to 59,981; metallic ores and metals, down 2,341 carloads, to 18,085; and nonmetallic minerals, down 332 carloads, to 32,084.

For the first 43 weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,371,430 carloads, down 3.2 percent from the same point last year; and 11,333,580 intermodal units, up 8.9 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 43 weeks of 2024 was 20,705,010 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.1 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending October 26, 2024, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 340,775 carloads, up 0.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 376,589 intermodal units, up 6.0 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 717,364 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.1 percent. North American rail volume for the first 43 weeks of 2024 was 28,794,945 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3 percent compared with 2023.

Canadian railroads reported 97,007 carloads for the week, up 0.7 percent, and 71,773 intermodal units, up 2.0 percent compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 43 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,846,120 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.0 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 14,939 carloads for the week, down 12.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,230 intermodal units, up 8.0 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 43 weeks of 2024 was 1,243,815 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.6 percent from the same point last year.