Rail Traffic Rises, Including Nonmetallic Minerals

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 16, 2022. For the week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 498,899 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.8% compared with the same week last year.

AAR says a quarterly carload decline was driven by four commodities: coal, automotive-related carloads, petroleum products and frac sand.

Total carloads for the week ending July 16 were 229,809 carloads, down 2.4% compared with the same week in 2021, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 269,090 containers and trailers, down 3.2% compared to 2021.

Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2021. They were nonmetallic minerals, up 2,211 carloads, to 33,017; farm products excl. grain and food, up 1,099 carloads, to 16,695; and motor vehicles and parts, up 867 carloads, to 12,916. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2021 included coal, down 3,545 carloads, to 65,634; miscellaneous carloads, down 2,295 carloads, to 8,496; and grain, down 2,265 carloads, to 18,752.

For the first 28 weeks of 2022, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,431,176 carloads, down 0.3% from the same point last year; and 7,377,966 intermodal units, down 6% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 28 weeks of 2022 was 13,809,142 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 3.4% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending July 16, 2022, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 325,650 carloads, down 0.8% compared with the same week last year, and 355,716 intermodal units, down 1% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 681,366 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.9%. North American rail volume for the first 28 weeks of 2022 was 18,852,354 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.3% compared with 2021.

Canadian railroads reported 73,518 carloads for the week, up 4.6%, and 70,728 intermodal units, up 11.1% compared with the same week in 2021. For the first 28 weeks of 2022, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,007,538 carloads, containers and trailers, down 4%.

Mexican railroads reported 22,323 carloads for the week, down 1.4% compared with the same week last year, and 15,898 intermodal units, down 11.1%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 28 weeks of 2022 was 1,035,674 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 0.7% from the same point last year.

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