by Risk calculated on 07/10/2022 14:34:00
From the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Railway time indicators. Graphics and excerpts reproduced with permission.
Total car counts on U.S. railroads decreased 1.1% in September 2022 compared to September 2021. Since 1988, when our car data began, only 2020 had fewer total cars in September than in 2022. … Intermodal fell 4.8% in September, its seventh consecutive decline and its 14th drop in the past 15 months. So far this year, only January has seen lower intermodal volumes than September. It’s unusual. On average, September is the third highest intermodal month of the year (behind October and August). Intermodal volumes are limited by a shift in consumer spending from goods to servicesas well as by high inflation which means that the same amount of money spent means a smaller amount of goods purchased.
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This graph of the Rail Time Indicators Report shows the six-week average of US loadings in 2020, 2021 and 2022:
Total car count on U.S. railroads averaged 232,148 per week in September 2022. That’s down 1.1% from September 2021, up 4.6% from September 2020 and a decrease of 6.5% compared to September 2019. carloads in September than 2022.
The second graph shows the six-week average (non-monthly) intermodal in the United States in 2020, 2021 and 2022: (using intermodal or ocean containers):
Intermodal averaged 252,826 containers and trailers per week in September 2022. That’s down 4.8% from last September, the seventh consecutive drop and the largest percentage drop in five months.
So far this year, only January has seen lower intermodal volumes than September