News & Events

Weekly Rail Traffic Summary

Bookmark this page! Here you will find the most current weekly rail traffic summaries from the AAR.

More detailed carload and intermodal traffic data are available in our Weekly Railroad Traffic report, which can be ordered from our online publications catalog.

2/4/2010AAR Reports Mixed Weekly Rail Traffic Results 
Year-over-Year 2008 Weekly Comparison Still Shows Decline
1/28/2010AAR Reports Freight Traffic Showing Slight Improvement 
Rail Carloadings Up From 2009, Still Down Sharply from 2008
1/21/2010AAR Reports Freight Traffic Remains Down on U.S. Railroads 
Canadian and Mexican Railroads Post Increases
1/14/2010AAR Reports Rail Traffic Off to Slow Start in 2010 
Both Carloadings and Intermodal Volume Down from 2009, 2008 Levels
1/7/2010AAR Reports Mixed Weekly Freight Rail Traffic Results 
Intermodal Volume Posts Increase, Carloadings Remain Down
12/30/2009Mixed Report for U.S. Rail Freight during Christmas Week 
Intermodal Volume Up, But Carloads, Ton-Miles Both Slip
12/23/2009U.S. Rail Freight Traffic Up Slightly in Current Week 
Ton-miles Ahead of 2008, But Still Down Sharply from 2007
12/17/2009AAR Reports Weekly U.S. Rail Freight Traffic Remains Down 
Year-over-year Intermodal Container Volume Up Slightly from 2008
12/10/2009AAR Reports U.S. Rail Freight Traffic Shows Improvement in Post Holiday Week 
Nine Freight Commodity Groups Post Increases
12/3/2009U.S. Rail Freight Volume Down During Thanksgiving Holiday Week 
Increases Seen in Nine Freight Commodity Groups
11/25/2009Rail Freight Traffic Reaches Highest Level This Year 
Volume Continues to Trail Year-Earlier Total
11/19/2009U.S. Rail Freight Volume Down During Veterans Day Holiday Week 
Slight Improvement in Carloads and Intermodal Traffic
11/12/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Down, Incremental Improvement in Intermodal Traffic 
Fifteen of the 19 Carload Freight Commodity Groups Post Declines
11/5/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Remains Down  
Increases Seen in Four of 19 Commodity Groups
10/29/2009AAR Reports Railroads Continue to Post Weak Carload, Intermodal Numbers 
Expanded Report Includes Comparison Week for 2007 and 2008
10/22/2009AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic Down Year Over Year 
Comparison Week in 2008 Was First Sign of Economic Slump
10/15/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Remains Down Year Over Year 
U.S. Railroads Report Highest Weekly Volume for Intermodal Traffic This Year
10/8/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Continues to Reflect Down Economy 
All 19 Freight Commodity Groups Show Declines
10/1/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Remains Down 
Data Shows Impact from Flooding In Tennessee, Georgia
9/24/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Remains Down Year Over Year 
Year-over-Year Comparison Tempered by Hurricane Ike Impacts in 2008
9/17/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Down During Labor Day Holiday Week 
Comparison Week From Last Year Did Not Include Holiday
9/10/2009AAR Reports Recent Rail Traffic Gains Slow In Week Preceding Holiday 
Some Commodity Groups Seeing Carload Gains
9/3/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Continues to Register Gains 
Rail Carloadings at Highest Level Since December 2008
8/27/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Continues Slight Improvement 
Carloadings at Highest Level Since Early March
8/20/2009AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic Remains Down Year Over Year 
Rail Carloadings Registering Incremental Gains
8/13/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Continues to Reflect the Down Economy 
Rail Carloadings, Intermodal Volume Down Year Over Year
8/6/2009AAR Reports Rail Freight Traffic Down in July 
All Major Commodity Groups Continue to See Declines
7/30/2009AAR Reports Freight Rail Traffic Remains Down This Week 
Carloadings Continue Slow Improvement
7/23/2009AAR Reports Rail Traffic Continues to Reflect Sluggish Economy 
7/16/2009AAR Reports: Rail Traffic Remains Down Year Over Year 
Rail carloadings up slightly from previous weeks
7/9/2009Rail Freight Traffic Remains Down During Holiday Week 
7/2/2009Rail Freight Traffic Down in June 
6/25/2009Rail Freight Traffic Trends Down Again 
Despite recent positive trends, carloads and intermodal volume continue to decline
6/18/2009Rail Freight Traffic Continues to Show Slight Improvement 
Rail Carloadings and Intermodal Both Up From Previous Week
6/11/2009Rail Freight Traffic Showing Slight Improvement 
Rail Carloadings at Highest Level in Nine Weeks
6/4/2009Rail Traffic Down Sharply in May 
Lower electricity demand and higher coal stockpiles result in double-digit declines in rail traffic
5/28/2009Rail Freight Traffic Down from a Year Ago 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads during the week ended May 23 remained down in comparison with last year, although it did show an increase from the previous week this year.
5/21/2009Rail Freight Traffic Remains Down 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads continued to reflect a weak economy as traffic remained down in comparison with last year during the week ended May 16, the Association of American Railroads reported today.
5/14/2009Another Down Week for Rail Freight Traffic 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads remained sharply down from a year ago during the week ended May 9, the Association of American Railroads reported today.
5/7/2009Rail Freight Traffic Down in April 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was down sharply during April 2009 in comparison with April 2008.
4/30/2009Rail Freight Traffic Remains Down from Year Ago 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads remained sharply down from a year ago during the week ended April 25.
4/23/2009Sharp Decline Reported in Rail Freight Traffic 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was off sharply during the week ended April 18 in comparison with a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported today.
4/16/2009Rail Freight Traffic Off in Most Recent Week 
Bad weather in the Upper Midwest, the slow economy and the Good Friday holiday all combined to produce another down week for U.S. rail freight traffic during the week ended April 11.
4/9/2009Weather, Slow Economy Produce Rail Freight Traffic Decline 
Bad weather in Wyoming and the Upper Midwest combined with the slow economy to produce another down week for U.S. rail freight traffic during the first week of April.
4/2/2009Rail Freight Traffic Down in March 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was down again during March, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
3/26/2009Rail Freight Traffic Continues to Reflect Slow Economy 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads continued to reflect the nation’s economic slowdown during the week ended March 21, the Association of American Railroads reported today.
3/19/2009Another Down Week for Rail Freight Traffic 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads during the week ended March 14 remained down in comparison with a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported today.
3/12/2009Rail Freight Traffic Down During First Week of March 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads during the first week of March remained down in comparison with a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported today.
3/5/2009Rail Freight Traffic Down in February 
Rail freight traffic throughout North America was off sharply during February, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today.
2/26/2009Rail Freight Traffic Continues to Feel Effects of Economic Slowdown 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads continued to show the effects of the economic slowdown during the week ended February 21 as volume remained well below totals reported during the comparison week last year, the Association of American Railroads reported today.
2/19/2009Freight Traffic Remains Down on U.S. Railroads 
Freight volume during the week ended February 14 was once again down in comparison with last year, although it was up from the previous week this year.
2/12/2009Freight Traffic Off on U.S. Railroads 
Freight traffic on U.S. railroads during the week ended February 7 was off again in comparison with last year, although up slightly from the previous week this year.
2/5/2009Rail Traffic Down Sharply in January 
U.S. Rail Carload Traffic Fell 17.2 Percent To 1,067,548 Carloads In The First Four Weeks Of 2009 Compared With The First Four Weeks Of 2008
1/29/2009Down Week for Freight Traffic on U.S. Railroads 
Freight Traffic On U.S. Railroads Continued To Trend Downward During The Third Week Of 2009.
1/22/2009Rail Freight Traffic Slides During 2nd Week of 2009 
The Economic Slowdown Continued To Affect U.S. Railroads As Freight Volume Declined During The Second Week Of 2009 In Comparison With Same Week Last Year.
1/15/2009Freight Traffic on U.S. Railroads Down at Start of New Year 
Freight Traffic On U.S. Railroads Was Off During The First Week Of 2009 In Comparison With 2008's Initial Week, The Association Of American Railroads (AAR) Reported Today.
1/8/20092008 U.S. Rail Freight Traffic Fourth-Highest in History, But Down Sharply in December and the Fourth Quarter 
In 2008, U.S. Freight Railroads Originated 16,572,709 Carloads, While Intermodal Originations Were 11,517,240 Trailers And Containers
12/30/2008Rail Freight Traffic Down During Holiday Week 
12/23/2008U.S. Rail Freight Volume Down In Week Preceding Holiday 
U.S. and Canadian Carload Totals Down 18.3 Percent From Last Year; Intermodal Volume Off 15.6 Percent
12/18/2008U.S. Rail Freight Volume Down as Holiday Approaches 
Cumulative Volume Down 1.7 Percent on U.S. Railroads in Comparison with 2007
12/11/2008Rail Freight Traffic Down from Last Year 
Carload Freight Down 8.5 Percent From Last Year, Intermodal Volume Down 9.8 Percent
12/4/2008U.S. Rail Carload Traffic Down Sharply in November 
Two of 19 Major Commodity Categories Saw Carload Increases Over Last Year
11/26/2008U.S. Rail Freight Volume Up From Year Ago 
Carload Freight Up 6.6 Percent From Last Year, Intermodal Jumps 15.1 Percent
11/20/2008U.S. Rail Freight Volume Off During Holiday Week 
Carload Totals Down 9.1 Percent From Last Year; Intermodal Volume Off 7.9 Percent
11/13/2008Freight Volume Off on U.S. Railroads 
Carload Freight Down 8.4 Percent From Last Year, Container Volume Off 4.9 percent; Trailers Fall 11.2 Percent.
11/6/2008u.S. Rail Traffic Down in October 
Carloads Down 2.8 Percent From October 2007
10/30/2008Rail Freight Volume Trails Last Year During Most Recent Week 
Carload Freight Down 4.7 Percent From Last Year, Intermodal Down 4.1 Percent
10/23/2008Rail Carload, Intermodal Volume Off During Most Recent Week 
Carload Volume Off 2.4 Percent From Last Year; Intermodal Volume Down 2.8 Percent
10/16/2008Rail Freight Volume Off Slightly 
Carload Freight Off 1.4 Percent From 2007; Intermodal Volume Down 3.3 Percent From Year Ago
10/9/2008Rail Freight Volume Shows Small Increase 
Coal Up 7.7 Percent, "Catch-All" All Other Category Rises 45.4 Percent Over 2007
10/2/2008U.S. Freight Rail Traffic Down in September 
Only 3 Of 19 Commodities Experiences Increases In September ‘08 Compared ‘07
9/25/2008Hurricane Ike Causes Rail Freight Downturn 
Carload Freight Off 7.8 Percent From Last Year, 18 Of 21 Commodity Groups Down
9/18/2008Rail Freight Traffic Off During Most Recent Week 
Carloads Off 2.4 Percent, 18 of 21 Commodity Groups Down From Last Year
9/11/2008Weather Impacts Rail Freight Traffic to Start September 
Carload Freight Off 3.5 Percent From Last Year, Intermodal Volume Down 3.4 Percent
9/4/2008U.S. Rail Traffic Down Slightly in August 
Carloads Down 0.5 Percent From August 2007, Intermodal Off 1.7 Percent
8/28/2008Overall Traffic Nudges Down On U.S. Railroads During Most Recent Week 
Carload Freight Drops 0.6 Percent From Last Year, Intermodal Volume Slips 3.1 Percent
8/21/2008Ton-Miles Up Slightly on U.S. Railroads During Most Recent Week 
Total Volume Up 0.6 Percent From Comparable Week Last Year
8/14/2008Both Carload, Intermodal Freight Down Slightly on U.S. Railroads 
Carload Totals Off 0.1 Percent From Last Year, Intermodal Volume Down 1.4 Percent from a year ago.
8/7/2008U.S. Rail Carloadings Up in July 
Carloads Rise 1.1 Percent From July 07, Grain Up 7.2 Percent
7/31/2008Carload, Intermodal Off On U.S. Railroads  
Carloads Down 0.9 Percent From Last Year, Intermodal Down 3.2 Percent
7/24/2008Grain, Coal Lead Way in Up Week for Rail Freight Traffic 
Carload Freight Up 2.3 Percent From Last Year On Increased Grain, Coal Volumes
7/17/2008Carload Freight Up, Intermodal Down During Most Recent Week 
Metallic Ores Up 22.4 Percent Over Last Year, Grain Up 6.3 Percent
7/10/2008Rail Freight Traffic Up During Holiday Week 
Carload Freight Up 1.1 Percent From Last Year; Volume Up 1.5 Percent In West, 0.3 Percent In East
7/3/2008U.S. Freight Off For June 2008 Compared With June 2007 
Railroad Carload Traffic Falls 3.6 Percent Compared With June 2007, Intermodal Off 4.0 Percent
6/26/2008Rail Freight Traffic Down Due to Midwest Floods  
Midwest Floods Help Nudge Carload Freight Totals Down 5.7 Percent From Last Year.
6/19/2008Rail Freight Traffic Off As Floods Impact Midwest Service  
Carload Freight Down 4.4 Percent From Last Year, Volume Off 4.4 Percent In West, Down 4.5 Percent In East.
6/12/2008Carload, Intermodal Freight Both Off on U.S. Railroads  
Carload Freight Down 2.1 Percent From Last Year, Intermodal Down 1.1 Percent
6/5/2008U.S. Rail Carloads Up, Intermodal Down in May 
Carloads Totals Up 0.5 percent Compared To Last Year, Intermodal Declines 0.9 Percent Percent
5/29/2008Freight Traffic Off On U.S. Railroads 
Carload Freight Down 1.7 Percent From Last Year; Total Volume Down 1.2 Percent
5/22/2008Grain, Coal, Chemicals Up on U.S. Railroads 
Grain Up 21.3 Percent Over Same Period Last Year, Coal Gains 2.8 Percent, Chemicals rise 4.0 Percent
5/15/2008Bulk Commodities Lead Rail Freight Traffic Gain 
Carload Freight Up 5.0 Percent From Same Week Last Year, Intermodal Off 1.1 Percent
5/8/2008Carload Freight Up, Intermodal Down 
Sharp Gains In Coal, Grain Loadings Offset Drops In Other Sectors; Intermodal Down 4.4 Percent From Last Year
4/24/2008U.S. Rail Traffic Mixed in April 
Carloads Up 0.9 Percent From April 2007; Intermodal Declines 2.1 Percent
4/17/2008Strong Coal, Grain Loadings Reported on U.S. Railroads 
Coal, Grain Help Boost Carload Freight Totals 1.5 Percent Over Same Period Last Year
4/17/2008Intermodal Freight Up, Carload Freight Down on U.S. Railroads 
Intermodal Volume Up 1.9 Percent from 2006, Carloads Down 2.9 Percent
4/10/2008Rail Carload Freight Up at Start of April 
Carload Freight For Week Ending April 5 Up 3.6 Percent From Last Year
4/3/2008U.S. Rail Freight Traffic Down in March 
Carloads Down 0.1 Percent, Intermodal Down 5.7 Percent Compared To March 2007
3/27/2008Rail Freight Traffic Off During 3rd Week of March 
Volume Affected By Severe Weather, Flooding In Some Parts Of Country
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