U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed for week ending November 7, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending November 7, were decidedly mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 228,282—were down 8.4% annually, topping the weeks ending October 31 and October 24, at 227,347 and 227,543, respectively.

AAR said that three of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks posted annual gains, including: grain, up 5,577 carloads, to 27,426; chemicals, up 1,813 carloads, to 32,636; and farm products excluding grain, and food, up 608 carloads, to 16,419. Commodity groups that saw annual declines included: coal, down 16,458 carloads, to 58,987; metallic ores and metals, down 4,852 carloads, to 17,522; and nonmetallic minerals, down 2,414 carloads, to 30,338.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 293,746 units—saw a 10.3% annual gain, topping the 293,341 recorded for the week of October 31 and the 295,110 recorded the week of October 24.

Through the first 45 weeks of 2020, U.S. rail carloads—at 9,708,857—are down 14.4% annually, and intermodal units—at 11,497,980—are down 4.1% for the same period.