United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending August 19, saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 228,972, fell 0.6% annually, trailing the week ending August 12, at 224,412, and topping the week ending August 5, at 222,199.
AAR said that four of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: motor vehicles and parts, up 2,326 carloads, to 16,293; coal, up 1,486 carloads, to 69,773; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 781 carloads, to 9,420. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: grain, down 3,541 carloads, to 15,796; forest products, down 1,289 carloads, to 7,683; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 1,011 carloads, to 15,638.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 249,881 units, fell 4.6% annually, topping the week ending August 12, at 248,086 units, and the week ending August 5, at 249,739.
Through the first 33 weeks of 2023, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads are up 0.2% annually, to 7,394978, and intermodal units are down 9.2%, to 7,828,854 units.