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

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending October 16, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 229,730—saw a 1.2% annual increase, trailing the weeks ending October 9 and October 2, at 239,821 and 241,910, respectively.

AAR reported that five of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: metallic ores and metals, up 3,471 carloads, to 21,990; chemicals, up 3,000 carloads, to 32,721; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1,157 carloads, to 32,210. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2020 included coal, down 2,493 carloads, to 57,772; motor vehicles and parts, down 2,260 carloads, to 13,374; and miscellaneous carloads, down 798 carloads, to 9,601.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 267,253—saw an 8.5% decline, trailing the weeks ending October 9 and October 2, at 268,821 and 279,339, respectively.

Through the first 41 weeks of 2021, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads—at 9,749,190—are up 7.6% annually, and intermodal units—at 11,346,182—are up 8.9%, for the same period.