AAR reports mixed volumes for week ending January 19

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported this week that carload and intermodal volumes were mixed for the week ending January 19.

Carload volume—at 277,490—was down 3.5 percent annually and below the week ending January 12 at 279,893 and ahead of the week ending January 5 at 241,682.

Eastern carload volumes were down 3 percent annually, and out west carloads were down 3.9 percent.

Intermodal volume—at 249,397 trailers and containers—was up 13.5 percent, which was below the week ending January 12 at 252,896 and ahead of the week ending January 5 at 178,317.

Of the 20 commodity groups tracked by the AAR, 9 were up annually. Petroleum products were up 60.9 percent, and lumber and wood products were up 15.8 percent.

Primary forest products were down 20.9 percent, and iron and steel scrap were down 17.7 percent.

On a year-to-date basis, carloads are down 7.3 percent at 799,065, and intermodal is up 5.9 percent at 680,610 containers and trailers.

Estimated ton-miles for the week ending January 19 were down 3.3 percent at 32.3 billion and down 6.9 percent at 93.0 billion ton-miles year-to-date.