United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending March 5, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads—at 238,870—headed up 2.8% annually, topping the week ending February 26, at 223,330, and the week ending February 19, at 237,256.
AAR said that four of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: chemicals, up 5,267 carloads, to 34,854; nonmetallic minerals, up 4,746 carloads, to 32,504; and coal, up 2,675 carloads, to 68,304. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: motor vehicles and parts, down 2,641 carloads, to 13,261; grain, down 1,572 carloads, to 24,880; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 1,309 carloads, to 9,195.
Intermodal containers and trailers—at 266,307—decreased 5.8% annually, topping the week ending February 26, at 261,860, and the week ending February 19, at 260,566.
Through the first nine weeks of 2022, AAR reported that U.S. railroads—at 2,056,464 carloads—are up 3.5% annually. And intermodal units—at 2,298,067 intermodal units—were down 7%, for the same period.
North American rail volume for the week ending March 5, 2022, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 335,676 carloads, up 0.5% annually, and intermodal units—at 348,821—were off 6.7%.