WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 15, 2021 – The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending December 11, 2021.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 513,366 carloads and intermodal units, down 6 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending December 11 were 239,029 carloads, up 0.3 percent compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 274,337 containers and trailers, down 10.9 percent compared to 2020.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2020. They included nonmetallic minerals, up 2,982 carloads, to 31,052; coal, up 2,979 carloads, to 66,762; and chemicals, up 2,706 carloads, to 35,297. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2020 included motor vehicles and parts, down 3,660 carloads, to 13,953; grain, down 3,508 carloads, to 24,876; and miscellaneous carloads, down 516 carloads, to 9,459.
For the first 49 weeks of 2021, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 11,368,512 carloads, up 6.8 percent from the same point last year; and 13,464,361 intermodal units, up 5.6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 49 weeks of 2021 was 24,832,873 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 6.1 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending December 11, 2021, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 331,925 carloads, down 3.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 354,599 intermodal units, down 10.8 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 686,524 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.5 percent. North American rail volume for the first 49 weeks of 2021 was 33,799,003 carloads and intermodal units, up 5 percent compared with 2020.
Canadian railroads reported 71,880 carloads for the week, down 17 percent, and 64,609 intermodal units, down 14.3 percent compared with the same week in 2020. For the first 49 weeks of 2021, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,181,020 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.2 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 21,016 carloads for the week, up 6.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 15,653 intermodal units, up 9.9 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 49 weeks of 2021 was 1,785,110 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.3 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.
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