AAR reports mixed volumes for week ending September 16

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported this week that United States rail carload and intermodal volumes were mixed for the week ending September 16.

Carloads fell 3.6% to 260,771, which topped the week ending September 9 at 247,930 and the week ending September 2 at 257,077.

Only one of the ten commodity groups tracked by the AAR was up annually for the week, with metallic ores and metals up 3,292 carloads to 24,696. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2016 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 2,552 carloads, to 9,083; motor vehicles and parts, down 2,063 carloads, to 16,605; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 1,943 carloads, to 14,625.

Intermodal containers and trailers saw a slight gain, rising 0.9% to 270,003, which outpaced the week ending September 9 at 238,544 and trailing the week ending September 2 at 277,063.

Through the first 37 weeks of 2017, U.S. rail carloads are up 4.1% at 9,570,7908, and intermodal units are up 3.4% at 9,860,655.