The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today that United States rail carload and intermodal volumes saw annual declines for the week ending June 8.
Rail carloads, at 246,758, fell 9.1% compared to the same week a year ago, topping the week ending June 1 at 237,512 and trailing the week ending May 25 at 259,953.
AAR said that three of the ten carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: petroleum and petroleum products, up 2,346 carloads, to 13,351; chemicals, up 679 carloads, to 32,353; and miscellaneous carloads, up 114 carloads, to 10,187. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2018 included coal, down 13,505 carloads, to 71,526; nonmetallic minerals, down 5,669 carloads, to 35,087; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2,243 carloads, to 15,752.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 266,341, slipped 8% annually, topping the week ending June 1 at 241,167 and trailing the week ending May 25 at 268,013.
Through the first 23 weeks of 2019, U.S. rail carloads, at 5,775,582, are down 2.7% annually, and intermodal units, at 6,114,628, are also down 2.7% for the same period.