The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending May 8, 2021.  For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 523,309 carloads and intermodal units, up 26.9 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending May 8 were 236,019 carloads, up 27.6 percent compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 287,290 containers and trailers, up 26.3 percent compared to 2020.

All of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2020. They included coal, up 16,361 carloads, to 62,675; metallic ores and metals, up 9,925 carloads, to 23,543; and motor vehicles and parts, up 9,221 carloads, to 11,327.

For the first 18 weeks of 2021, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,098,956 carloads, up 4 percent from the same point last year; and 5,080,788 intermodal units, up 18.1 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 18 weeks of 2021 was 9,179,744 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 11.3 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending May 8, 2021, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 332,413 carloads, up 24 percent compared with the same week last year, and 380,465 intermodal units, up 22.6 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 712,878 carloads and intermodal units, up 23.2 percent. North American rail volume for the first 18 weeks of 2021 was 12,564,561 carloads and intermodal units, up 10.1 percent compared with 2020.

-via Press Release