United States rail carload and intermodal volumes were mixed for the week ending February 9, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 242,266, fell 3.3% compared to the same week a year ago and were slightly below the week ending February 2 at 242,718 and the week ending January 26 at 248,397.
AAR said that three of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: petroleum and petroleum products, up 2,420 carloads, to 12,740; grain, up 1,685 carloads, to 20,720; and motor vehicles and parts, up 363 carloads, to 17,069. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2018 included coal, down 9,107 carloads, to 75,864; farm products excluding grain, and food, down 1,242 carloads, to 15,063; and miscellaneous carloads, down 967 carloads, to 8,487.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 277,513 units, saw a 3.4% annual gain, topping the week ending February 2 at 255,570 and the week ending January 26 at 273,089.
Through the first six weeks of 2019, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads were up 0.9% annually at 1,480,753, and intermodal units, at 1,593,681, are up 1%.