U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes see annual decline, for week ending July 9, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending July 9, saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 207,450—fell 1.3% compared to the same week a year ago, and were likely impacted by the timing of the July 4 holiday, trailing the weeks ending June 25 and July 2, at 229,857 and 234,561, respectively.

AAR reported that four of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: coal, up 1,633 carloads, to 60,105; farm products excluding grain, and food, up 1,056 carloads, to 15,705; and motor vehicles and parts, up 409 carloads, to 10,725. Commodity groups posting annual declines, including metallic ores and metals, down 4,422 carloads, to 18,019; chemicals, down 1,038 carloads, to 30,163; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 378 carloads, to 9,395.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 230,150 units—saw a 4.7% annual decline, trailing the weeks ending June 25 and July 2, at 263,517 and 265,724, respectively.

Through the first 27 weeks of 2022, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads are essentially flat, down 0.2% annually, to 6,201,367, and intermodal units are off 6.1%, to 7,108,876.