By Railfan & Railroad Staff

WASHINGTON — American railroads moved 1.1 million containers and trailers last month, up 10 percent from the same month in 2019, making it the best month ever for intermodal traffic, according to new numbers from the Association of American Railroads. 

While intermodal posted big numbers — thanks in part to an increase in imports ahead of the holidays — carload traffic was down. U.S. railroads originated 912,772 carloads in October 2020, down 6.6 percent, or 64,634 carloads, from October 2019. Ten of the 20 carload commodity categories tracked by the AAR each month saw carload gains compared with October 2019. These included: grain, up 21,557 carloads or 25.5 percent; iron and steel scrap, up 3,579 carloads or 29.1 percent; and waste and nonferrous scrap, up 1,527 carloads or 11.2 percent. Coal and petroleum were both down 19 percent and 20 percent respectively. 

“Thanks largely to rising imports and inventory restocking in preparation for the holidays, October was the best month ever for U.S. rail intermodal, with volumes up by a third from April of this year. That’s a stunning increase in six months,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. “Meanwhile, U.S. rail carloads rose in October for 10 of the 20 carload categories we track, the most since the pandemic began.  Carloads of grain in October were their highest in 13 years, while carloads of motor vehicles and parts have recovered after falling close to 90% earlier this year.  Changes in energy markets continue to pressure carloads of coal, petroleum products, and frac sand and holding back total carloads.  Excluding those three categories, carloads in October were a few percentage points higher than last year.”