U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes see annual declines, for the week ending February 11

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending February 11, were down annually, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 233,382—saw a 1.6% annual decline, topping the week ending January 28, at 232,886 and the week ending February 4, at 216,700.

AAR reported that four of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: nonmetallic minerals, up 1,963 carloads, to 30,253; petroleum and petroleum products, up 987 carloads, to 10,662; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 510 carloads, to 17,330. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: grain, down 3,173 carloads, to 21,241; chemicals, down 2,015 carloads, to 32,667; and forest products, down 966 carloads, to 9,369.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 240,590—fell 10.2% annually but still topped the weeks ending January 28 and February 4, at 237,632 and 232,886, respectively.

Through the first six weeks of 2023, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads—at 1,373,778—eked out a 1% annual gain, with intermodal units—at 1,393,404—off 7.7%, for the same period.

North American rail volume for the week ending February 11, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 335,732 carloads, up 1.4% compared with the same week last year, and 316,515 intermodal units, down 9.8% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 652,247 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.3%. North American rail volume for the first six weeks of 2023 was 3,812,418 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.8% compared with 2022.