by Calculated Risk July 10, 2024 9:53 AM
From the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Railway time display. Graphs and excerpts reproduced with permission.
about total In terms of freight volumes, we are in a period where the changes are not positive. Total U.S. rail freight volume in 2Q24 was down 4.8% from 2Q23 to 140,915 cars. This was the largest year-over-year quarterly decline in total freight volume since 4Q2020…. Total cargo volumes are declining due to a decline in coal cargoes. … Excluding coal, the payload was much better. Q2 2024 was up 1.7% (11,254 units) compared to Q2 2023, and the first half of this year was up 0.6% (26,398 units) compared to last year.
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This graph is Railway Time Indicator Report Shows year-over-year changes in freight volume and intermodal transport.
U.S. intermodal volume continued to perform well in June, increasing 8.7% year over year, marking the 10th consecutive year of year-over-year increases in intermodal volume.
note that Rail traffic was weak even before the pandemicThe AAR noted: “Rail freight volumes are declining due to trade tensions and declining manufacturing production.”
