United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending December 14, were again mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 228,400, fell 2.4% annually, topping the week ending December 7, at 224,899, and the week ending November 30, at 189,746 (which was likely impacted by the timing of the Thanksgiving holiday).
AAR reported that six of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: farm products excl. grain, and food, up 599 carloads, to 17,143; nonmetallic minerals, up 596 carloads, to 29,740; and chemicals, up 374 carloads, to 32,862. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2023 included coal, down 3,899 carloads, to 61,291; metallic ores and metals, down 2,444 carloads, to 18,770; and motor vehicles and parts, down 785 carloads, to 16,009.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 297,776 units, saw an 11.1% annual gain, topping the weeks ending December 7 and November 30, at 295,995 units, and 249,616 units, respectively.
Through the first 50 weeks of 2024, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 10,921,527 fell 3.1% annually, and U.S. intermodal units, at 13,343,447, posted a 9.2% annual gain.
