U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes see gains for week ending July 14

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported this week that United States rail carload and intermodal volumes each saw annual gains for the week ending July 14.

Rail carloads, at 271,201, were up 3.8% annually. This was ahead of the 240,154 carloads for the week ending July 7, which was likely impacted by the July 4 holiday and ahead of the week ending June 30 at 270,916.

AAR said that nine of the ten carload commodity groups it tracks posted annual gains for the week ending July 14, including motor vehicles and parts, up 2,772 carloads, to 15,076; petroleum and petroleum products, up 2,609 carloads, to 11,950; and grain, up 1,976 carloads, to 24,779. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2017 were coal, down 1,909 carloads, to 84,511; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 165 carloads, to 16,353.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 287,857, saw a 6.1% annual gain, which topped the week ending July 7 at 244,679, and were below the week ending June 30 at 293,327.

Through the first 28 weeks of 2018, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads are up 1.5% annually at 7,259,135 and intermodal units are up 6.1% at 7,686,093.