For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 489,144 carloads and intermodal units, up 12.9 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending June 5 were 227,497 carloads, up 18.1 percent compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 261,647 containers and trailers, up 8.7 percent compared to 2020.
For some rail traffic categories, percentage changes for the current week compared with the same week in 2020 are inflated because of the widespread shutdowns — and subsequent large reduction in rail volumes — that impacted many economic sectors last year at this time.
Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2020. They included coal, up 16,326 carloads, to 65,101; metallic ores and metals, up 9,915 carloads, to 23,332; and chemicals, up 4,711 carloads, to 32,602. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2020: nonmetallic minerals, down 892 carloads, to 29,220.
For the first 22 weeks of 2021, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,054,790 carloads, up 7.8 percent from the same point last year; and 6,206,969 intermodal units, up 18.7 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 22 weeks of 2021 was 11,261,759 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 13.5 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending June 5, 2021, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 324,161 carloads, up 15.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 350,015 intermodal units, up 9.4 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 674,176 carloads and intermodal units, up 12.2 percent. North American rail volume for the first 22 weeks of 2021 was 15,389,692 carloads and intermodal units, up 12 percent compared with 2020.
Canadian railroads reported 78,167 carloads for the week, up 13.6 percent, and 74,525 intermodal units, up 16.8 percent compared with the same week in 2020. For the first 22 weeks of 2021, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,337,673 carloads, containers and trailers, up 9 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 18,497 carloads for the week, down 5.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 13,843 intermodal units, down 11 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 22 weeks of 2021 was 790,260 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.7 percent from the same point last year. ■