U.S. rail carload and intermodal units are down, for week ending July 22, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending July 22 saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 222,454—fell 1.3% annually, trailing the week ending July 15, at 225,609, and topping the week ending July 8, at 197,086.

AAR said that six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2022, including: motor vehicles and parts, up 2,150 carloads, to 14,641; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,780 carloads, to 34,583; and metallic ores and metals, up 886 carloads, to 21,354. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: grain, down 4,417 carloads, to 14,981; coal, down 3,251 carloads, to 64,474; and forest products, down 852 carloads, to 7,748.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 251,282 units—were off 4.8% annually, trailing the week ending July 15, at 252,544, and topping the week ending July 8, at 210,757.

Through the first 29 weeks of 2023, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,488,884 carloads, up 0.4% annually. And intermodal units came in at 6,828,178 units, down 9.8% annually.