Rail traffic for the week ending June 26, 2021

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending June 26, 2021.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 516,167 carloads and intermodal units, up 12.4 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending June 26 were 237,117 carloads, up 17.7 percent compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 279,050 containers and trailers, up 8.2 percent compared to 2020.

For some rail traffic categories, percentage changes for the current week compared with the same week in 2020 are inflated because of the widespread shutdowns — and subsequent large reduction in rail volumes — that impacted many economic sectors last year at this time.

Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2020. They included coal, up 15,472 carloads, to 66,595; metallic ores and metals, up 8,814 carloads, to 23,869; and nonmetallic minerals, up 3,756 carloads, to 33,067. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2020: motor vehicles and parts, down 717 carloads, to 12,662.

For the first 25 weeks of 2021, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,765,679 carloads, up 8.9 percent from the same point last year; and 7,055,994 intermodal units, up 17.7 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 25 weeks of 2021 was 12,821,673 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 13.6 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending June 26, 2021, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 335,765 carloads, up 14.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 367,561 intermodal units, up 8.8 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 703,326 carloads and intermodal units, up 11.4 percent. North American rail volume for the first 25 weeks of 2021 was 17,508,746 carloads and intermodal units, up 12.1 percent compared with 2020.

Canadian railroads reported 77,699 carloads for the week, up 8.3 percent, and 71,867 intermodal units, up 11.8 percent compared with the same week in 2020. For the first 25 weeks of 2021, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,784,949 carloads, containers and trailers, up 9 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 20,949 carloads for the week, up 2.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 16,644 intermodal units, up 6.9 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 25 weeks of 2021 was 902,124 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.3 percent from the same point last year.