AAR reports annual gains for carload and intermodal volumes

Both United States rail carloads and intermodal container and trailer volumes saw annual growth for the week ending February 4, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) this week.

Carloads were up 11.7 percent at 269,994, which easily surpassed the weeks ending January 28 and January 21 at 259,708 and 262,496, respectively.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity categories tracked by the AAR were up annually including coal, up 25.7 percent to 92,222 carloads; grain, up 15.7 percent to 25,741 carloads; and miscellaneous carloads, up 12.7 percent to 10,032 carloads. Commodity groups on the decline included petroleum and petroleum products, down 15.8 percent to 10,088 carloads; forest products, down 4.3 percent to 10,045 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2.8 percent to 18,681 carloads.

Intermodal container and trailers rose 3.3 percent annually to 271,480, which edged out the week ending January 28 at 269,988 and the week ending January 21 at 267,803.

Through the first five weeks of 2017, carloads are up 4.7 percent annually at 1,266,567, and intermodal containers and trailers at 1,292,548 are down 0.8 percent.