United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending October 12, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 222,003, fell 1.3% annually, trailing the weeks ending October 5 and September 27, at 225,280, and 227,046, respectively.
AAR reported that seven of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: grain, up 1,346 carloads, to 23,523; metallic ores and metals, up 1,164 carloads, to 19,277; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 891 carloads, to 17,894. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: coal, down 3,412 carloads, to 58,233; nonmetallic minerals, down 2,473 carloads, to 30,465; and motor vehicles and parts, down 1,301 carloads, to 14,412.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 283,030 units, rose 5.9% annually, topping the weeks ending October 5 and September 28, at 260,907, and 280,491, respectively.
Through the first 41 weeks of 2024, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 8,919,323, were off 3.2% annually, with intermodal units, at 10,755,542, up 9.1% annually.
