The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported this week that United States rail carload and intermodal volumes saw annual gains for the week ending August 26.
Carloads increased 1% annually to 272,153, which topped the week ending August 19 at 271,675 and the week ending August 12 at 268,364. And four of the ten carload commodity groups saw annual gains, including coal, up 4,756 carloads, to 96,317; metallic ores and metals, up 2,467 carloads, to 23,941; and nonmetallic minerals, up 2,444 carloads, to 39,999. Commodity groups that saw annual declines included motor vehicles and parts, down 3,237 carloads, to 16,156; grain, down 1,845 carloads, to 19,881; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 1,532 carloads, to 14,926.
Intermodal containers and trailers were up 3.6% annually at 279,623, which trailed the week ending August 19 at 282,346 and the week ending August 12 at 280,426.
Through the first 34 weeks of 2017, U.S. carloads are up 4.9% at 8,805,020 and intermodal containers and units are up 3.4% at 9,075,045.