AAR reports gains in carload and intermodal volumes for week ending October 12

Carload and intermodal volumes were up for the week ending October 12, according to data released by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carload volume—at 285,372—was up 0.1 percent annually and ahead of the week ending October 5 at 279,128 and below the week ending September 28 at 296,809.

Intermodal—at 260,839 trailers and containers—was up 4.0 percent compared to the same week a year ago and was down from the 266,580 recorded during the week of October 5 and the week ending September 28 at 269,853 and the week ending September 21 at 262,897.

Total weekly traffic for carloads and intermodal units—at 546,211—was up 1.9 percent annually.

Of the ten main commodity groups tracked by the AAR, seven saw annual increases. Petroleum and petroleum products were up 15.3 percent, and metallic ores and metals were up 12.8 percent. Coal was down 4.9 percent. 

On a year-to-date basis, carloads are down 0.9 percent at 11,505,038, and intermodal is up 3.7 percent at 10,075,183 containers and trailers.