Carload and intermodal volumes are up for week ending October 4, reports AAR

Volume gains were again intact for the week ending October 4, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carload volume headed up 7.4 percent to 299,674, which was behind the 301,863 recorded the week of September 27 and the 302,178 from the week of September 20.

Intermodal units, at 276,682 containers and trailers, were up 3.7 percent compared to the same week last year, topping the 275,071 recorded the week of September 27 and behind the 279,777 from the week of September 20, which is a new record-high for U.S. railroads, topping the week ending September 13, which was the previous high, according to the AAR.

Each of the ten carload commodities tracked by the AAR were up annually for the week ending October 4. Petroleum and petroleum products were up 26.9 percent, and forest products were up 10.9 percent.

For the first 40 weeks of 2014, carloads are up 3.6 percent annually at 11,622,497 and intermodal is up 5.5 percent at 10,354,012 trailers and containers.