United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending April 6, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 209,142, were off 4.5% annually, trailing the weeks ending March 30 and March 23, at 218,753, and 219,586, respectively.
AAR said that six of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: grain, up 3,221 carloads, to 22,000; motor vehicles and parts, up 1,983 carloads, to 16,315; and chemicals, up 1,574 carloads, to 31,907. Commodity posting annual declines included: coal, down 15,107 carloads, to 46,688; nonmetallic minerals, down 2,078 carloads, to 29,540; and metallic ores and metals, down 848 carloads, to 19,403.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 241,000 units, increased 7.6% annually, trailing the weeks ending March 30 and March 23, at 253,918, and 255,010, respectively.
Through the first 14 weeks of 2024, U.S. rail carloads, at 2,982,969, are down 4.2% annually, and intermodal units, at 3,509,647, are up 9.0%.