United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending June 18, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads—at 232,921—eked out a 0.4% annual gain, trailing the week ending June 11, at 234,942, and topping the week ending June 4, at 225,274.
AAR said that six of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: grain, up 2,411 carloads, to 22,012; nonmetallic minerals, up 860 carloads, to 32,505; and motor vehicles and parts, up 833 carloads, to 13,366. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2021 included metallic ores and metals, down 2,707 carloads, to 20,915; coal, down 1,539 carloads, to 66,281; and miscellaneous carloads, down 382 carloads, to 8,908.
Intermodal containers and trailers, for the week ending June 18, came in at 268,286 units, for a 4.9% annual decline. This trailed the week ending June 11, at 275,353, and topped the week ending June 4, at 250,329.
Through the first 24 weeks of 2022, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads—at 5,529,499—are essentially flat, with a 0.002% annual gain, with intermodal units—at 6,349,485—are down 6.3%.