Carload and intermodal volumes are mixed for week ending May 9, reports AAR

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported this week that rail carload and intermodal volumes were mixed for the week ending May 9.

U.S. carloads were down 7.9 percent compared to the same week last year at 273,433, which was below the weeks ending May 2 and April 25, which came in at 283,091 and 278,294, respectively.

Four of the ten carload commodities tracked by the AAR were up annually for the week May 9. Motor vehicles and parts were up 8.9 percent to 18,997 carloads, and loadings for petroleum and petroleum products were up 6.1 percent to 15,464 carloads. Coal was down 16.1 percent to 93,691 carloads.

Intermodal volume was up 3.8 percent annually at 277,601 containers and trailers. This was below the weeks ending May 2 and April 25, which hit 282,696 and 279,012, respectively. 

On a year-to-date basis through the first 18 weeks of 2015, rail carloads are down 1.8 percent annually at 5,043,559 and intermodal is up 1.7 percent at 4,679,513 units.