U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed for the week ending September 19, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes were mixed, for the week ending September 19, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 226,687—were off 9.6% annually, topping the weeks ending September 12 and September 5, at 214,142 and 222,298, respectively.

AAR reported that three of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks posted annual gains, including grain, up 3,059 carloads, to 22,130; motor vehicles and parts, up 1,539 carloads, to 17,610; and farm products excluding grain, and food, up 733 carloads, to 15,471. Commodity that saw annual declined included coal, down 17,305 carloads, to 61,456; nonmetallic minerals, down 6,001 carloads, to 30,609; and metallic ores and metals, down 2,360 carloads, to 19,543.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 295,269—saw a 6.3% increase compared to the same week last year, topping the weeks ending September 12 and September 5, at 260,643 and 287,339, respectively.

Through the first 38 weeks of 2020, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads—at 8,111,384—are down 15.6% annually, and intermodal units—at 9,453,728—are off 6.5%.