rail carloads

U.S. weekly rail volume shows big jump

U.S. rail traffic showed a massive jump for the week ending Jan. 18, 2025, with both carload and intermodal traffic up more than 25% from the same week a year earlier.

Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show overall traffic for the week was 500,160 carloads and intermodal units, a 25.9% increase. That included 216,457 carloads, up 25.1%, and 287,703 containers and trailers, up 26.5%.

While railroad officials have suggested that they are seeing traffic increases as importers...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/u-s-weekly-rail-volume-shows-big-jump

Auto freight rolling strong as economy hits the brakes

Chart of the Week: Motor Vehicles and Parts Carloads – USA, Outbound Tender Volume Index – Detroit SONAR: RTOMV.USA, OTVI.DTW

Freight volumes of automotive parts are still recovering as demand for many durable goods wanes. Is it sustainable?

Rail carloads for motor vehicles and parts averaged 11% higher year over year in October as part of a recovery trend that started earlier in the year. The Detroit Outbound Tender Volume Index (OTVI) shows a historical elevation in activity since this spring....

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/auto-freight-rolling-strong-as-economy-hits-the-breaks

US intermodal traffic climbs 7% year-over-year in September

A photograph of a train hauling intermodal containers by a highway overpass.

September was the fourth-best month for U.S. intermodal traffic in the history of the U.S. railroads, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) said Wednesday.

The U.S. freight railroads originated 1.4 million intermodal containers and trailers in September, a 7.1% increase from September 2019.

On a year-to-date basis, U.S. intermodal traffic is 5.9% lower than the same period in 2019, AAR said. Year-to-date intermodal volumes totaled 10 million containers and trailers for the week that ended...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-intermodal-traffic-climbs-7-year-over-year-in-september

Intermodal up but rail carloads down last week

A photograph of intermodal containers parked at a rail yard.

U.S. rail traffic on a weekly basis was mixed for the week that ended last Saturday, according to the Association of American Railroads.

Intermodal volumes were up but carloads were down. The U.S. freight railroads originated 294,144 intermodal containers and trailers last week, a 5.5% increase from the same period in 2019. But carloads were down 10.5% to 224,146 carloads.

Combined, U.S. rail volumes totaled 518,290 carloads and intermodal units, a 2.1% drop from the same period a year ago.

Meanwhi...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/intermodal-up-but-rail-carloads-down-last-week

Coal, energy drive down U.S. rail traffic in July

A photograph of a double-stacked intermodal train parked at a rail yard.

Systemic declines for coal plus a sluggish energy market contributed to an almost 18% decline in U.S. carloads in July, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

U.S. carload volumes in July totaled 1.04 million, down 17.6% from July 2019, while intermodal volumes slipped 1.4% to nearly 1.3 million containers and trailers. Total U.S. traffic was 2.34 million carloads and intermodal units, a 9.3% drop from July 2019.

“The old saying, ‘You have to play the hand you’re dealt’ applies...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/coal-energy-drive-down-us-rail-traffic-in-july

Watch out trucking, industrial sector has a pulse

Chart of the Week: Total Rail Carloads, Chemical Rail Carloads, Motor Vehicle Rail Carloads – USA  SONAR: RTOTC.USA, RTOCH.USA, RTOMV.USA

The latest rail carload data is showing that the industrial side of the economy, which is the backbone for a large amount of freight movement in the U.S., has finally started to recover after hovering on the floor for over three months. Increasing carload volumes for raw materials like chemicals and motor vehicles are good leading indicators of future...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/watch-out-trucking-industrial-sector-has-a-pulse

Bigger trucks would divert intermodal and railcar traffic

A photograph of a truck with a trailer and an intermodal train behind the truck.

A study commissioned by the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks (CABT) asserts that allowing heavier and longer trucks on U.S. roads could divert intermodal and railcar traffic from rail to truck by as much as 25% and even by as much as 60% under certain scenarios.

The study, “Estimating the Rail-to-Truck Traffic Diversions Attributable to Increased Truck Size and Weight,” sought to quantify how much intermodal and railcar traffic could be taken off the railroads should trucking companies be allowed...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/bigger-trucks-would-divert-intermodal-and-railcar-traffic

For-hire freight declines in April worst since 2009

Unidentified truck on highway

Industry commentary suggesting a likely April bottom for the freight industry can be supported by new government data showing the worst year-over-year declines in for-hire transportation data since the financial crisis of 2008-09. The dramatic drop in the monthly data highlights what could be the low point in the current freight cycle and provides a relatively easy sequential comparison.

The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) fell 10% year-over-year in April according to the Bureau of...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/for-hire-freight-declines-in-april-worst-since-2009