What was the overall North American chemical railcar volume for the week ended August 29, and how did it compare to the previous week and year-ago levels?

North American weekly chemical rail traffic totaled 48,036 carloads for the week ended August 29, representing a 1.6% decline from the previous week and a 5.8% decline year over year, driven primarily by a 4.2% drop in Canadian volume, while US volume fell 0.6% and Mexican volume rose 0.6%.

How did the four-week moving average (4wma) of chemical railcar volume in North America compare to its seasonal trendline and prior periods in August 2024?

The North American four-week moving average for chemical railcar volume was 48,574 carloads—down 0.3% sequentially and down 0.4% year over year—but up 6.6% above the 2016–2025 seasonal trendline; the increment over the trendline ranged between 6.4% and 7.5% during August, rebounding from the 4.0%–5.3% range observed in July.