WASHINGTON — Carload traffic took a dip but intermodal strength kept overall rail volume above 2019 levels in the lastest release of weekly statistics from the Association of American Railroads. For the week ending Dec. 19, U.S. Class I railroads moved 230,838 carloads, down 5.8% against the same week a year earlier, while intermodal volume was 289,467 containers and trailers, up 10.3%. The overall volume of 520,305 carloads and intermodal unit was up 2.5%. Just a week ago, carload traffic was only down 2.2% versus year-earlier numbers. Only two carload commodity groups, grain and chemicals, showed increases against the same week in 2019.
For the year to date, total carloads are down 13.2% and intermodal units are down 2.3%, with overall traffic down 7.6%.
North American totals for reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads include 335,577 carloads, down 4.4% from the same week a year ago; 377,410 intermodal units, up 8.2%, and total volume of 712,987 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.9%. Canadian railroads moved 84,546 carloads (down 1.9% and, 73,122 intermodal units (up 7.7%)
