AAR: U.S. Rail Traffic Still Down; Canada, Mexico See Gains

(Source: Railway Age January 30, 2020)

Written by Andrew Corselli, Managing Editor

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ended Jan. 25, 2020, and for this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 485,282 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.1% compared with the same week last year.

However, our neighbors to the north saw a slight uptick and Mexico yet again produced more gains.

Total carloads for the week ended Jan. 25 were 232,317 carloads, down 6.7% compared with the same week in 2019, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 252,965 containers and trailers, down 7.4% compared to 2019.

Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2019. They included commodities such as metallic ores and metals, up 1,064 carloads, to 20,918; grain, up 288 carloads, to 21,723; and miscellaneous carloads, up 234 carloads, to 8,474. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2019 included commodities such as coal, down 14,366 carloads, to 68,295; nonmetallic minerals, down 2,260 carloads, to 27,906; and motor vehicles and parts, down 1,245 carloads, to 14,482.

For the first four weeks of 2020, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 924,394 carloads, down 7.2% from the same point last year; and 976,258 intermodal units, down 7.9% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first four weeks of 2020 was 1,900,652 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 7.6% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ended Jan. 25, 2020, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 333,543 carloads, down 4.1% compared with the same week last year, and 341,137 intermodal units, down 3.1% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 674,680 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.6%. North American rail volume for the first four weeks of 2020 was 2,604,756 carloads and intermodal units, down 6.3% compared with 2019.

Canadian railroads reported 80,758 carloads for the week, down 0.4%, and 68,925 intermodal units, up 3.6% compared with the same week in 2019. For the first four weeks of 2020, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 561,844 carloads, containers and trailers, down 5%.

Mexican railroads reported 20,468 carloads for the week, up 14.9% compared with the same week last year, and 19,247 intermodal units, up 52.6%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first four weeks of 2020 was 142,260 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.3% from the same point last year.