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Association of American Railroads

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Association of American Railroads

  • Login
  • Publications
  • Join AAR
  • Data Center
  • News & Events
  • Blog
  • COVID-19

Association of American Railroads

  • Railroad 101
    • Industry 101
      • Supply Chain
      • COVID-19
      • Economic Regulation
      • Forced Switching
      • Integrated Rail Network
      • Positive Train Control
    • Freight Rail Resources
      • Signal Newsletter
      • Fact Sheets
      • Facts & Figures
      • Videos
      • Podcasts & Interviews
      • Railroad Chronology
  • Impact
    • Investments
    • Economic Impact
    • Freight Rail in Your State
    • Railroad Jobs
    • Consumers
    • Amtrak
    • Supply Chain
  • Policy
    • Economic Regulation
      • Forced Switching
      • Final Offer Rate Review
      • Revenue Adequacy
      • Competition
      • Staggers Rail Act 40th Anniversary
    • Operational Regulation
      • Crew Size
      • Mexican Crew Interchange
      • Hazmat/Tank Cars
      • Emerging Safety Technologies
    • Cybersecurity Legislation
    • Climate Change Policies
    • Trade
    • Infrastructure Priorities
      • Highway Trust Fund
      • Truck Size & Weight
      • Section 130
      • CREATE
      • Environmental Permitting
      • Passenger Rail
      • Railroad Right of Way Access
  • Climate Change
    • Climate Change Policies
    • Sustainable Technology
    • Carbon Calculator
  • Safety
    • COVID-19
    • Employee Safety
    • Positive Train Control
    • Safety Record
    • Hazmat Safety
      • Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)
      • Crude Oil by Rail (CBR)
    • Network Safety
    • Pedestrian & Drivers
      • Occupied Crossings
    • Preparedness & Response
      • Community Planning
      • First Responder Training
      • Natural Disasters
      • Physical & Cybersecurity
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Rail Traffic Data

Gauging U.S. Economic Activity Through Rail Traffic Data

Since demand for rail service arises as a result of demand elsewhere in the economy for the products that railroads haul, rail traffic is a useful gauge of broader economic activity, both for specific industries and for the economy as a whole. A sample of current weekly, monthly and annual information on freight rail traffic are in the interactive charts below.

More detailed data is contained in a variety of AAR statistical products, which are free for AAR full members and available for purchase by non-AAR members through the online catalog. Email AAR’s Policy & Economics department with questions.

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Weekly Rail Traffic Data

Weekly Rail Traffic Data

Each week, the major North American railroads report their traffic for the previous week to AAR. This data is published in AAR’s Weekly Railroad Traffic report each Wednesday. Carload traffic is classified into 20 major commodity categories such as coal, chemicals, grain, and primary metal products. Rail intermodal traffic (shipping containers and truck trailers moved on rail cars) is reported separately.

The interactive chart below shows weekly rail traffic trends for the past few years. More detail is available in AAR’s Weekly Railroad Traffic.  AAR also posts a rail traffic press release every Wednesday at noon.

Download Sample WRT Report

See What’s Included in WRT Categories

Recent Press Releases

  • May 25, 2022

    Rail Traffic for the Week Ending May 21, 2022

  • May 18, 2022

    Rail Traffic for the Week Ending May 14, 2022

Subscribe to Weekly Rail Traffic

Monthly Rail Traffic Data

Monthly Rail Traffic Data

The chart above shows monthly rail traffic trends for the past few years created by averaging weekly rail traffic data. More detail is available in the AAR’s Rail Time Indicators Report (RTI). In addition to a vast amount of data on U.S. and Canadian rail traffic, RTI includes more than 15 key economic indicators such as consumer confidence, housing starts, and industrial production. RTI combines all of this information in a single place, highlighting key trends and presenting rail traffic data in the context of specific sectors and the broader economy.

Sample Rail Time Indicators

Subscribe to Rail Indicators

Annual Rail Traffic Data

Freight Commodity Statistics (FCS)

Each year, the seven U.S. Class I railroads — BNSF, CN (GTC), CP (SOO), CSX, KCS, NS, and UP — provide AAR rail traffic data with far more commodity detail than the weekly or monthly traffic data discussed above. The chart above provides 10-year trends for some major rail commodities based on this alternative source of rail traffic data. Additional​ commodity detail is available in the AAR’s Freight Commodity Statistics report.

FCS 2014 Sample

FCS 2014 RR Detail Sample

FCS 2014 History Sample

Order Freight Commodity Statistics

Association of American Railroads

America’s freight railroads operate the safest, most efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sound freight transportation system in the world — and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) is committed to keeping it that way. Founded in 1934, AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research, standard setting, and technology organization that focuses on the safety and productivity of the U.S. freight rail industry. AAR Full members include the major freight railroads in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as Amtrak. Affiliates and Associates  include non-Class I and commuter railroads, rail supply companies, engineering firms, signal and communications firms, and rail car owners.

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