The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 12, 2024.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 505,033 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.6 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending October 12 were 222,003 carloads, down 1.3 percent compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 283,030 containers and trailers, up 5.9 percent compared to 2023.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2023. They included grain, up 1,346 carloads, to 23,523; metallic ores and metals, up 1,164 carloads, to 19,277; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 891 carloads, to 17,894. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 were coal, down 3,412 carloads, to 58,233; nonmetallic minerals, down 2,473 carloads, to 30,465; and motor vehicles and parts, down 1,301 carloads, to 14,412.

For the first 41 weeks of 2024, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,919,323 carloads, down 3.2 percent from the same point last year; and 10,755,542 intermodal units, up 9.1 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 41 weeks of 2024 was 19,674,865 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.1 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending October 12, 2024, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 332,200 carloads, down 1.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 364,671 intermodal units, up 4.5 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 696,871 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.7 percent. North American rail volume for the first 41 weeks of 2024 was 27,375,648 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4 percent compared with 2023.

Canadian railroads reported 98,096 carloads for the week, up 3.5 percent, and 70,155 intermodal units, up 1.6 percent compared with the same week in 2023. For the first 41 weeks of 2024, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,514,669 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.1 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 12,101 carloads for the week, down 27.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 11,486 intermodal units, down 9.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 41 weeks of 2024 was 1,186,114 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.0 percent from the same point last year.