AAR reports U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes see annual gains

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending March 6, saw annual gains, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 232,494—were up 1.1% annually, topping the week ending February 27, at 215,181, and the week ending February 20, at 171,642.

AAR reported that five of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: coal, up 6,939 carloads, to 65,632; grain, up 5,657 carloads, to 26,451; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 371 carloads, to 16,794. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2020 included chemicals, down 3,833 carloads, to 29,591; nonmetallic minerals, down 2,559 carloads, to 27,833; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2,235 carloads, to 15,912.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 282,641, rose 21.5%, topping the week ending February 27, at 271,248, and the week ending February 20, at 206,262.

Through the first nine weeks of 2021, AAR reported that U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,987,433 carloads, down 5.7% annually, with 2,471,856 intermodal units, marking an 8.6% annual gain.