Rail and intermodal volumes both show gains for week ending June 23, says AAR

Rail carload and intermodal volumes were both up for the week ending June 23, according to data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carload volume—at 288,730—was up 1.4 percent annually and ahead of the week ending June 16 at 287,036 and the week ending June 9 at 285,413. Eastern carloads were flat annually, and out west carloads were up 2.3 percent.

Intermodal volumes—at 246,128 trailer and containers—were up 4.8 percent compared to the same week last year and were behind the week ending June 16 at 249,976 and slightly below the week ending June 9 at 246,422. 

Of the 20 commodity groups tracked by the AAR, 11 were up annually. Petroleum products were up 51.4 percent, and motor vehicles and equipment were up 27.8 percent.
Metallic ore was down 29.3 percent, and iron and steel scrap was down 14.2 percent.

Carloads for the first 25 weeks of 2012—at 7,046,184—were down 2.9 percent compared to the first 25 weeks of 2011, and intermodal was up 3.2 percent at 5,796,233 trailers and containers.

Estimated ton-miles for the week ending June 23 were up 2.8 percent at 32.9 billion, and were down 2.0 percent on a year-to-date basis at 802.3 billion.