U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed, for week ending March 16, reports AAR
United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending March 16, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 219,586, fell 0.6% annually, topping the week ending March 9, at 214,585, and trailing the week ending March 2, at 220,406.
AAR reported that seven of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: grain, up 3,638 carloads, to 21,108; chemicals, up 2,186 carloads, to 33,134; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,836 carloads, to 9,954. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: coal, down 12,033 carloads, to 55,990; metallic ores and metals, down 903 carloads, to 18,683; and forest products, down 92 carloads, to 8,431.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 255,010, saw a 13.8% annual increase, trailing the weeks ending March 9 and March 2, at 258,077, and 263,732, respectively.
Total rail carload and intermodal volume, at 474,596 units, is up 6.7% annually
Through the first 11 weeks of 2024, AAR said that U.S. rail carload volume, at 2,344,887, is off 4.1% annually, and intermodal units, at 2,759,413, is up 9.0% annually.
