U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are down, for week ending November 12, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending November 12, saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 235,474—fell 0.2% annually, trailing the weeks ending November 5 and October 29, at 243,276 and 244,425, respectively.

AAR said that four of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: motor vehicles and parts, up 2,142 carloads, to 14,829; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,676 carloads, to 32,706; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 742 carloads, to 17,242. Commodity groups posting annual declines included grain, down 1,366 carloads, to 23,932; chemicals, down 1,360 carloads, to 32,168; and metallic ores and metals, down 915 carloads, to 19,346.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 254,876—decreased 4.5% annually, trailing the weeks ending November 5 and October 29, at 258,830 and 270,032, respectively.

Through the first 45 weeks of 2022, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads—at 10,450,126—eked out a 0.2% annual gain, and intermodal units—at 11,835,682—slipped 4.7%.

North American rail volume for the week ending November 12, 2022, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 334,731 carloads, down 0.7% compared with the same week last year, and 335,949 intermodal units, down 4.9% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 670,680 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.8%. North American rail volume for the first 45 weeks of 2022 was 30,550,437 carloads and intermodal units, down 2% compared with 2021.