U.S. rail volumes are up for the week ending June 23, reports AAR
United States rail carload and intermodal volumes each saw annual gains for the week ending June 23, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Carloads, at 268,464, were up 2.5% annually, but were below the 267,748 recorded for the week ending June 16 and the 271,641 recorded for the week ending June 9.
AAR said that nine of the ten carload commodity groups it tracks posted annual gains for the week ending June 23, including: metallic ores and metals, up 2,297 carloads, to 24,786; grain, up 2,237 carloads, to 24,104; and chemicals, up 2,059 carloads, to 32,422. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2017: coal, down 3,103 carloads, to 83,006.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 288,876 units, posted a 4.9% annual gain. This edged out the 288,350 units recorded for the week ending June 16 and trailed the 289.420 recorded for the week ending June 9, which the AAR said is the second highest volume week ever for intermodal units behind the week ending May 26.
Through the first 25 weeks of 2018, AAR said U.S. rail carloads are up 1.3% annually, or 6,476,498, and intermodal units are up 5.9% for the same period at 6,860,230.
