United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending August 14, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads—at 235,011—saw a 5.7% annual gain, topping the week ending August 7, at 234,336, and the week ending July 31, at 228,975.
AAR said that five of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: coal, up 8,196 carloads, to 67,054; metallic ores and metals, up 5,676 carloads, to 24,678; and nonmetallic minerals, up 2,080 carloads, to 32,602. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2020 included grain, down 2,906 carloads, to 19,488; motor vehicles and parts, down 1,883 carloads, to 13,512; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 526 carloads, to 10,314.
Intermodal containers and trailers—at 269,799—were down 3% annually, trailing the weeks ending August 7, at 275,271, and the week ending July 31, at 273,565, respectively.
Through the first 32 weeks of 2021, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads—at 7,141,531—are up 9% annually, and intermodal units—at 8,673,507—are up 14.6%.