The number of carloads moved on short line and regional railroad in May 2020 was down compared to May 2019. Carloads originated decreased 21.5 percent, from 370,487 in May 2019 to 290,856 in May 2020.
Stone, Clay and Glass Products was the sole gain, with a 0.7 percent increase. Motor Vehicles and Equipment led declines, down 80.9 percent. Petroleum Products were down 51.2 percent, and Nonmetallic Minerals and Coal decreased 45.9 percent and 33.1 percent, respectively. Chemicals, Food and Kindred Products, Metals and Products, Pulp, Paper, and Allied Products, Grain Mill Products, Crushed Stone, Sand and Gravel, Lumber and Wood Products, Trailer or Container, Metallic Ores, Grain, Waste and Scrap Materials and All Other Carloads were also down in May.
Click here to download the Carloads by Commodity table as an Excel file.
Carloads originated for 2020 were at 1,612,139 through May 31, down about 127,000 carloads, or 7.3 percent from 2019.
Railinc publishes this information as a service to the rail industry. The Railinc Short Line and Regional Traffic Index can also be found monthly in Railway Age magazine. For questions or comments, please contact the Railinc Corporate Communications department.
