Carload and intermodal volumes were again up for the week ending October 26, according to data released by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Carload volume—at 297,455—was up 3.6 percent to the same week last year and ahead of the week of October 19 at 289,256 and the week ending October 12 at 285,372 and the week ending October 5 at 279,128.
Intermodal—at 261,231 trailers and containers—was up 3.2 percent annually and was down compared the week ending October 19 at 264,687, and ahead of the week ending October 12 at 260,839 and below the week ending September 28 at 269,853.
Total weekly traffic for carloads and intermodal units—at 558,686—was up 3.4 percent annually.
Of the ten main commodity groups tracked by the AAR, eight saw annual increases. Petroleum and petroleum products were up 20.1 percent, and grain was up 29.6 percent. Farm and food products, excluding grain, were down 3.9 percent.
On a year-to-date basis, carloads are down 0.8 percent at 12,091,749, and intermodal is up 3.7 percent at 10,601,101 containers and trailers.