U.S. railroads post carload, intermodal traffic decline in Week 7

(Source: Progressive Railroading 02/25/2021)

U.S. railroads’ traffic fell 21.7% to 377,907 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Feb. 20 compared with the same week last year, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.

Carloads for the week totaled 171,642 units, down 26.3%, while intermodal volume totaled 206,262 containers and trailers, down 17.4%.

None of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks on a weekly basis posted increases.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads posted mixed traffic results for the week: Carload volume fell 11.1% to 67,877 units, while intermodal volume rose 13.8% to 63,968 containers and trailers. Mexican railroads reported decreases in both categories: Carloads were down 16.5% to 17,608 units, and containers and trailers fell 14.8% to 16,237.

Individual Class Is posted the following carload volume for the week compared with same week in 2020: BNSF Railway Co., 63,197 carloads, down from 92,381; Canadian Pacific, 29,260, down from 33,857; CN, 50,132, down from 57,763; CSX, 55,249, down from 68,268; Kansas City Southern, 10,464, down from 13,913; Norfolk Southern Railway, 46,989, down from 55,601; and Union Pacific Railroad, 57,880, down from 86,740.

For the first seven weeks of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020:

• U.S. railroads reported 3,457,725 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.4%;
• Canadian railroads reported 1,034,601 carloads, containers and trailers, up 4.6%;
• Mexican railroads reported 232,756 carloads, containers and trailers, down 14.3%; and
• North American rail volume was 543,594 carloads and intermodal units, down 17.1%.