U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes start 2022 with annual declines

United States rail carload and intermodal traffic, for the week ending January 8, saw annual gains, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 210,020—were down 10.6% annually, topping the weeks ending December 25 and January 1 (with both rail carload and intermodal volumes likely negatively impacted, due to the timing of the holidays), at 201,222 and 205,836, respectively.

AAR said that only one of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw an annual gain, with nonmetallic metals up 207 carloads, to 25,613. And it added that commodity groups with annual declines included: grain, down 5,652 carloads, to 21,952; coal, down 5,638 carloads, to 54,916; and metallic ores and metals, down 3,661 carloads, to 19,853, among others.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 230,741—fell 20.4% annually, topping the weeks ending December 25 and January 1, at 205,836 and 189,535, respectively.