WASHINGTON — Carloads remained down but intermodal traffic continued strong, allowing weekly U.S. rail volume to remain above 2023 levels for the 12th straight week, according to statistics from the Association of American Railroads.
For the week ending April 13, total U.S. traffic was 466,463 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.5% over the same week a year ago. That included 208,381 carloads, down 8.2% from the corresponding week in 2023, and 258,082 containers and trailers, up 11%.
Totals through 15 weeks of 2024 show carload traffic down 4.5% from the same point in 2023, while intermodal units are up 9.1%. The combined traffic shows a 2.4% increase.
North American totals for the week, from 10 reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, included 318,299 carloads, a decrease of 6.3% from the same week in 2023, and 343,760 intermodal units, up 9.7%. The combined volume of 662,059 carloads and intermodal units represents a 1.4% increase. For the year to date, North American volume is up 2.2% over 2023. Canadian year-to-date figures are level with 2023, while cumulative volume in Mexico is up 10.5%.
How do these numbers compare to the same data in 2019? THAT’S my question.
comparative figures for 2019 CSX VS NS in different traffic categories have been presented in the end section of the 196 page Ancora Holdings arguments for management control case, link available in the newswire post of April 15. Very interesting and somewhat disturbing.