AAR reports annual carload and intermodal gains for week ending May 4

Carload and intermodal volumes were both up for the week ending May 4, according to data released by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carload volume—at 283,916—was up 2.8 percent annually and ahead of the week ending April 27 at 275,638 and the week ending April 20 at 276,662. Intermodal—at 245,678 trailers and containers—was up 2.8 percent compared to the same timeframe last year and below the week ending April 27 at 247,659 and ahead of the week ending April 240,698.

Total weekly traffic for carloads and intermodal units—at 529,594—was up 2.8 percent annually.

Of the ten main commodity groups tracked by the AAR, six saw annual increases. Petroleum and petroleum products were up 52.4 percent. Grain was down 5.9 percent.

On a year-to-date basis, carloads are down 2.1 percent at 4,963,512 and intermodal is up 4.3 percent at 4,292,613 containers and trailers.