AAR reports carload and intermodal gains

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported that rail carload and intermodal volumes for the week ending December 27 were both up on an annual basis.

U.S. Carloads were up 9.2 percent at 252,100 below the week ending December 20 at 307,598 and the week ending December 13 at 312,271.

Intermodal at 181,238 containers and trailers saw a 5.4 percent annual gain, trailing the weeks ending December 20 and December 13 at 272,961 and 280,337 respectively.

The AAR said that for the full 52 weeks of 2014, U.S. carloads were up 3.9 percent annually at 15,176,484, and intermodal was up 5.2 percent at 13,496,822.

Nine of the ten carload commodities tracked by the AAR were up annually for the week ending December 27, with motor vehicles and parts up 41.6 percent annually at 11,738. Forest products were down 2.5 percent annually at 9,598 carloads.