North American rail traffic up 1.7% for the week ending November 25

The Association of American Railroads or AAR, reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending November 25. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 415,332 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending November 25 were 195,948 carloads, down 2.% compared with the same week in 2022, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 219,384 containers and trailers, up 7.1% compared to 2022. Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022. They included petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,034 carloads, to 8,642; metallic ores and metals, up 880 carloads, to 18,457; and chemicals, up 505 carloads, to 27,582. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2022 included miscellaneous carloads, down 3,804 carloads, to 6,256; nonmetallic minerals, down 1,701 carloads, to 21,525; and grain, down 1,328 carloads, to 17,961. North American rail volume for the week ending November 25 on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 302,649 carloads, down 2.3% compared with the same week last year, and 299,802 intermodal units, up 6.1% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 602,451 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.7%. North American rail volume for the first 47 weeks of 2023 was 30,823,776 carloads and intermodal units, down 3% compared with 2022. Publicly traded companies in the space include CSX (CSX), Canadian National (CNI), Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP), Kansas City Southern (KSU), Norfolk Southern (NSC) ,Union Pacific (UNP), Greenbrier (GBX),Trinity Industries (TRN), Wabtec (WAB), FreightCar America (RAIL), and Rail Vision (RVSN).