(Source: Association of American Railroads press release, December 6, 2023)
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending December 2, 2023, as well as volumes for November 2023. U.S. railroads originated 1,128,573 carloads in November 2023, down 0.0 percent, or 102 carloads, from November 2022. U.S. railroads also originated 1,279,906 containers and trailers in November 2023, up 5.0 percent, or 60,486 units, from the same month last year. Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in November 2023 were 2,408,479, up 2.6 percent, or 60,384 carloads and intermodal units from November 2022.
In November 2023, 12 of the 20 carload commodity categories tracked by the AAR each month saw carload gains compared with November 2022. These included: chemicals, up 8,322 carloads or 5.7 percent; motor vehicles & parts, up 4,611 carloads or 6.6 percent; and petroleum & petroleum products, up 4,510 carloads or 10.1 percent. Commodities that saw declines in November 2023 from November 2022 included: crushed stone, sand & gravel, down 8,052 carloads or 8.0 percent; all other carloads, down 6,851 carloads or 25.6 percent; and grain, down 6,290 carloads or 5.4 percent.
For the week ending December 2, 2023, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 509,626 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.9 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending December 2 were 237,049 carloads, up 1.4 percent compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 272,577 containers and trailers, up 8.2 percent compared to 2022.
Full story: www.aar.org