U.S. rail and intermodal units are down for week ending November 9, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes again saw annual declines for the week ending November 9, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads, at 248,905, fell 5.1% compared to the same week last year, topping the weeks ending November 2 and October 26, at 245,319 and 243,321, respectively.

AAR reported that only one of the ten carload commodity groups it tracks-grain, which was up 342 carloads to 21,855-saw an annual gain. Coal was down 9,577 carloads, to 75,180; miscellaneous carloads, down 843 carloads, to 10,944; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 741 carloads, to 12,617.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 266,364, slipped 6.7% annually. This was ahead of the week ending November 2 at 264,693, and below the week ending October 26 at 269,826.

Through the first 46 weeks of 2019, U.S. rail carloads, at 11,337,628, are off 4.3%, and intermodal units, at 11,988,234, are off 4.6%.