U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are down, for the week ending July 16, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending July 16, saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 229,809—fell 2.4% annually, topping the week ending July 9, at 207,450, and trailing the week ending July 2, at 234,561.

AAR reported that three of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: nonmetallic minerals, up 2,211 carloads, to 33,017; farm products excl. grain, and food, up 1,099 carloads, to 16,695; and motor vehicles and parts, up 867 carloads, to 12,916. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: coal, down 3,545 carloads, to 65,634; miscellaneous carloads, down 2,295 carloads, to 8,496; and grain, down 2,265 carloads, to 18,752.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 269,090 units—were off 3.2% annually, topping the week ending July 9, at 230,150, and trailing the week ending July 2, at 265,724.

Through the first 28 weeks of 2022, U.S. rail carloads are down 0.3% compared to the same period last year, at 6,431,176, and intermodal units, at 7,377,966, are down 6%, for the same period.