United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending January 4, were mixed, acc according to data recently issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 198,500, were down 4.6% annually, topping the week ending December 28, at 184,028, and trailing the week ending December 21, at 230,857.
AAR said that six of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: included chemicals, up 2,664 carloads, to 31,747; petroleum and petroleum products, up 919 carloads, to 10,852; and forest products, up 156 carloads, to 8,006. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: coal, down 5,075 carloads, to 56,471; motor vehicles and parts, down 2,987 carloads, to 6,448; and metallic ores and metals, down 2,455 carloads, to 17,631.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 222,910 units, posted a 6.6% annual increase, topping the weeks ending December 28, at 205,672 units, and trailing the week ending December 21, at 293,055 units.
AAR recently reported that for calendar year 2024, U.S. rail carloads, at 11,336,412, were down 2.9% annually, and intermodal units, at 13,842,174, are up 9.3% annually.
