WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 17 remains far ahead of pandemic-depressed figures for the same week in 2020, and also shows a slight increase over figures for the week ending April 10 of this year.
Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show U.S. railroads moved 237,607 carloads for the week — a 25.2% increase over the year-earlier figure — with nine of ten categories showing increases. (Most strikingly, motor vehicle and parts traffic was up 545.9%, reflecting plant closures in 2020.) The 295,610 containers and trailers represented a 38.3% increase in intermodal traffic, with the combined 533,217 carloads and intermodal units representing a 32.2% increase. The previous-week figures for 2021 showed 233,300 carloads; 280,424 intermodal units; and 513,724 total carloads, meaning the latest week totals represent a 3.8% increase over the previous week.
Year-to-date totals show carloads up 0.2% over 15-week totals for 2020, while intermodal traffic is up 15.7% and total volume is up 8.2%.
North American totals, for 12 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, show 341,017 carloads, a 23.2% increase over same-week numbers for 2020; 384,527 intermodal units, a 32.5% increase; and total volume of 725,544 carloads and intermodal units, up 28%. Year-to-date totals for North America are up 7.4% over the same point in 2020. In Canada, carloads (82,929) were up 14.2%; intermodal units (71,720) represented at 10.4% increase.
This seems like a good time to start adding in 2021 over 2019 numbers…