Rail Traffic for the Week Ending August 21, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 25, 2021 – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 21, 2021.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 501,273 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.6 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending August 21 were 230,754 carloads, up 0.4 percent compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 270,519 containers and trailers, down 5.1 percent compared to 2020.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2020. They included metallic ores and metals, up 4,551 carloads, to 23,522; nonmetallic minerals, up 2,802 carloads, to 33,109; and miscellaneous carloads, up 1,042 carloads, to 10,653. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2020 included grain, down 4,483 carloads, to 18,098; motor vehicles and parts, down 2,513 carloads, to 13,974; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 1,042 carloads, to 14,906.

For the first 33 weeks of 2021, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,607,296 carloads, up 8.6 percent from the same point last year; and 9,213,825 intermodal units, up 13.3 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 33 weeks of 2021 was 16,821,121 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 11.1 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending August 21, 2021, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 324,958 carloads, up 0.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 359,713 intermodal units, down 3.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 684,671 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.5 percent. North American rail volume for the first 33 weeks of 2021 was 22,933,975 carloads and intermodal units, up 9.9 percent compared with 2020.

Canadian railroads reported 74,355 carloads for the week, up 3.1 percent, and 73,855 intermodal units, up 7.4 percent compared with the same week in 2020. For the first 33 weeks of 2021, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,899,749 carloads, containers and trailers, up 6.9 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 19,849 carloads for the week, down 6.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 15,339 intermodal units, down 15.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 33 weeks of 2021 was 1,213,105 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 6 percent from the same point last year.

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For more information contact: AAR Media Relations at media@aar.org or 202-639-2345.

About AAR: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers. AAR members include the major freight railroads of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as Amtrak. Learn more at www.aar.org.