WASHINGTON – U.S. rail traffic dipped 3.7% in May as both intermodal and carloads slumped compared to last year.
U.S. railroads originated 928,742 carloads in May 2022, down 35,821 carloads from May 2021, the Association of American Railroads reported on June 1.
U.S. railroads also originated 1,102,558 containers and trailers in May 2022, down 4.3%, or 49,258 units, from the same month last year. Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in May 2022 were 2,031,300, down 4%, or 85,079 carloads and intermodal units from May 2021.
In May 2022, seven of the 20 carload commodity categories tracked by the AAR each month saw carload gains compared with May 2021. These included: crushed stone, sand and gravel, up 5.8%; motor vehicles and parts, up 9%; and food products, up 7.1%.
“Rail traffic volumes in May reflected an economy that is a mixture of good and not-so-good,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “Auto production and auto carloads seem to be slowly recovering; crushed stone and sand and food-related volumes are showing strength while intermodal had its best month since June 2021. On the other hand, carloads of chemicals fell for the first time in more than a year in May, while grain volumes continued to be disappointing when compared to those of 2021 and the latter half of 2020.”
Excluding coal, carloads were down 30,281 carloads, or 4.3%, in May 2022. Excluding coal and grain, carloads were down 2.8%.
Total U.S. carload traffic for the first five months of 2022 was 4,835,705 carloads, up 0.2%, or 8,490 carloads, from the same period last year; and 5,555,607 intermodal units, down 6.6%, or 389,799 containers and trailers, from last year.
Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 21 weeks of 2022 was 10,391,312 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 3.5% compared to last year.
So the question begs, (since the ag shippers are the loudest about service) is the grain still sitting in the elevators, in ground storage awaiting hoppers to be delivered (can’t haul it if it isn’t loaded), or is it still in the hoppers sitting on sidings throughout North America waiting until it reaches the carriers PSR quotient?