Weekly US rail traffic back ahead of 2023 levels

Overall gain of 2.6% follows 1-week dip below previous-year volume

Rail traffic is growing back. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

This story originally appeared on Trains.com.

WASHINGTON — Weekly U.S. rail traffic rebounded into positive territory compared to 2023 for the week ending Oct. 12, after falling below previous-year levels a week earlier.

According to statistics from the Association of American Railroads, the week saw 505,033 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.6% from the same week in 2023. That included 222,003 carloads, down 1.3% from the same week a year ago, and 283,030 containers and trailers, up 5.9%.

A week ago, traffic was 2.5% below the same week in 2023, the first time since January that volume had seen a drop compared to the previous year.


Through 41 weeks, carload volume is down 3.2% compared to the same period in 2023, while intermodal traffic is up 9.1%. The combined traffic represents a 3.1% increase from the first 41 weeks of 2023.

North American volume for the week, as reported by nine U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads, includes 332,200 carloads, down 1.2% from the same week last year, and 364,671 intermodal units, up 4.5%. The total of 696,871 carloads and intermodal units is a 1.7% increase. Through 41 weeks of 2024, North American volume is up 2.4% compared to 2023; that includes a 0.1% increase in Canada and a 3% increase in Mexico.

Association of American Railroads

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