U.S. rail carloads and intermodal volumes see another week of annual gains, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes again saw annual gains, for the week ending June 26, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 237,117—saw a 17.7% annual increase, topping the week ending June 19, at 232,144, and trailing the week ending June 12, at 241,628.

AAR officials said that nine of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks posted annual gains, including: coal, up 15,472 carloads, to 66,595; metallic ores and metals, up 8,814 carloads, to 23,869; and nonmetallic minerals, up 3,756 carloads, to 33,067. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2020: motor vehicles and parts, down 717 carloads, to 12,662.

AAR also noted that, “for some rail traffic categories, percentage changes for the current week compared with the same week in 2020 are inflated because of the widespread shutdowns—and subsequent large reduction in rail volumes—that impacted many economic sectors last year at this time.”

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 279,050—posted an 8.2% annual gain, trailing the week ending June 19, at 281,968, and the week ending June 12, at 288,007.

Through the first 25 weeks of 2020, U.S. rail carloads—at 5,765,679 carloads—are up 8.9% annually, and intermodal units—at 7,055,994—are up 17.7% annually.  intermodal units, up 17.7 percent from last year.