AAR: North American rail volume down 1.9% through 46 weeks

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Written by

Marybeth Luczak, Managing Editor

Norfolk Southern GoRail and vintage locomotives pulling covered hoppers – Inman Yard; Atlanta, Ga. (text and photograph courtesy of Norfolk Southern)

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) now has 46 weeks of traffic data for 2022 (ending November 19). Total North American carload and intermodal traffic fell 1.9% from the same point last year – with declines in the US and Canada, and an increase in Mexico.

North American rail volume for the first 46 weeks of this year (ending November 19, 2022) on 12 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads came in at 31,230,674 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers.

Cumulative volume in the US was 22,777,602 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.5% from 2021; in Canada, 6,716,105 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.4%; and in Mexico, 1,736,967 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.7%.

Week 46 (ends 19 November 2022)

According to AAR, for the week ending November 19, 2022, U.S. Class I railroads transported a total of 491,794 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.2% compared to the same week last year. This includes 235,887 car loads – down 0.6% from the previous year – and 255,907 containers and trailers – down 5.6% compared to 2021.

Four of the 10 truckload commodity groups had an increase for the week ending Nov. 19, 2022, compared to the same week in 2021. They included grain, up 2,039 loads, to 26,624; coal, up 1,766 carloads, to 66,485; and non-metallic minerals, up 463 carloads, to 31,558. Commodity groups that showed declines included chemicals, down 3,081 carloads to 31,074; motor vehicles and parts, down 1,030 car loads to 13,631; and forest products, down 864 car loads, to 9,033.

For the first 46 weeks of 2022, U.S. railroads reported total volume of 10,686,013 carloads, up 0.2% from the year-ago period; and 12,091,589 intermodal units, down 4.8% from 2021.

North American rail volume for the week ending November 19, 2022, on 12 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads was 341,621 carloads, up 3.2% compared to the same point in 2021, and 338,616 intermodal units, down 0, 2%. last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 680,237 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.5%.