Strong start to the year as carloads outgain intermodal

Data gathered by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) showed U.S. rail traffic was 436,103 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.8% from the same week in 2018.

Total volume was 221,759 carloads, up 6.2%, while intermodal shipments came to 214,344 containers and trailers, up 3.4% on-year.

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups finished ahead, including crude oil, up 25% or 2,413 carloads, to 12,057; nonmetallic minerals, up 17.3% or 3,791 carloads, to 25,665, and metallic ores and metals, up 13.7% or 2,619 carloads, to 21,738.

Only motor vehicles, off 12% or 1,261 carloads, to 9,213, and miscellaneous carloads, 3.9%, or 294 carloads, to 7,251, declined.



North American volume for the week on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 313,358 carloads, up 7.5%, and 282,090 intermodal units, up 3.2%, from the prior year. Total combined traffic was 595,448 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.4%.



Canadian railroads reported 76,698 carloads for the week, up 14.5%, and 54,166 intermodal units, up 3.3%. Cumulative volume of 130,864 carloads, containers and trailers gained 9.6%.



Mexican railroads hauled 14,901 carloads for the week, down 5.8%, and 13,580 intermodal units, off 1.4%. Cumulative volume was 28,481 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 3.8% from the same week in 2018.



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