U.S. carloads and intermodal units are up for week ending June 16, reports AAR

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported this week that United States rail carload and intermodal volumes were up for the week ending June 16, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported this week.

Carloads, at 269,748, were up 1.9% annually. This trailed the week ending June 9 at 271,641 and topped the week ending June 2 at 252,162.

AAR said that seven of the ten carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,924 carloads, to 11,256; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,827 carloads, to 39,994; and grain, up 1,407 carloads, to 23,086. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2017 were coal, down 1,420 carloads, to 85,538; miscellaneous carloads, down 1,287 carloads, to 9,443; and motor vehicles and parts, down 300 carloads, to 16,891.

Intermodal containers and trailers headed up 6.3% to 288,350 units. This was below the 289,420 units recorded the week ending June 9, which the AAR said is the second highest volume week ever for intermodal units behind the week ending May 26, and the 257,578 recorded for the week ending June 2.

Through the first 24 weeks of 2018, total U.S. carloads are up 1.3% annually at 6,208,034, and intermodal units are up 6% at 6,571,354.