by Calculated Risk on 2/05/2021 02:45:00 PM

From the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Rail Time Indicators. Graphs and excerpts reprinted with permission.

U.S. rail volumes in January 2021 weren’t exemplary, but they were encouraging. Total carloads averaged 232,576 per week in January, the highest weekly average for any month in a year. Ten out of 20 carload categories had higher volumes in January 2021 than in January 2020. In January 2021, U.S. intermodal volume and carloads of chemicals were both higher than ever before (on a weekly average basis); carloads of grain were higher than in any month since October 2007 and the eleventh most for any month on record; and carloads for several other major carload categories, including primary metal products, lumber, paper, and iron and steel scrap, were higher than they’ve been since the pandemic began. Total carloads excluding coal were up 2.3% in January 2021 over January 2020, their second yearover-year increase in a row following 22 straight year-over-year monthly declines.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph from the Rail Time Indicators report shows the six week average of U.S. Carloads in 2018, 2019 and 2020:

U.S. railroads originated 930,303 total carloads in January 2021, down 2.1% (19,799 carloads) from January 2020. January 2021 was the 24th consecutive month with a year-over-year decline for total carloads, but 2.1% is the smallest percentage decline in 21 months.

The second graph shows the six week average of U.S. intermodal in 2018, 2019 and 2020: (using intermodal or shipping containers):

U.S. railroads originated 1.17 million intermodal containers and trailers in January 2021, an average of 293,305 per week — a new all-time record and up 12.1% (126,548 units) over January 2020.

Note that rail traffic was weak prior to the pandemic, however intermodal has come back strong.