Rail and intermodal volumes are down for week ending February 18, says AAR

Rail volumes were down for the week ending February 18, according to data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carload volume—at 281,989—was down 5.2 percent annually and ahead of the week ending February 11 at 279,501. It was also behind the week ending February 4 at 284,546 and the week ending January 28 at 283,654.

Eastern carloads were down 7.3 percent, and out west carloads were down 3.7 percent.

Intermodal volumes—at 221,003 trailers and containers—were down 5.2 percent annually. This was down compared to the week ending February 11 at 227,207 and the week ending February 4 at 232,950 and the week ending January 28 at 235,028.

Of the 20 commodity groups tracked by the AAR, 12 were up annually. Petroleum products were up 25.9 percent, and lumber and wood products were up 22.9 percent. Coal was down 13.9 percent.

Carloads for the first seven weeks of 2012—at 1,990,836—were up 0.3 percent over the first seven weeks of 2011, and intermodal was up 2.2 percent at 1,558,437 trailers and containers.

Estimated ton-miles for the week at 33.2 billion were down 4.2 percent, and for the year-to-date it was up 1.3 percent at 226.4 billion.