U.S. rail and intermodal volumes fall for week ending February 15, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes saw more annual declines, for the week ending February 15, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 227,447—fell 9.1% trailing the weeks ending February 8 and February 1, at 232,116 and 241,339, respectively.

AAR reported that four of the ten carload commodity groups it tracks posted annual gains, including: petroleum and petroleum products, up 734 carloads, to 12,622; motor vehicles and parts, up 700 carloads, to 17,583; and metallic ores and metals, up 582 carloads, to 20,859. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2019 included coal, down 17,147 carloads, to 63,045; nonmetallic minerals, down 3,614 carloads, to 28,381; and grain, down 2,973 carloads, to 18,325.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 251,690—decreased 8%, trailing the weeks ending February 8 and February 1, at 252,213 and 268,822, respectively.

Through the first seven weeks of 2020, U.S. rail carloads—at 1,625,296—are off 6.1% annually, and intermodal units—at 1,749,983—are off 6.3%.