U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are down, for week ending August 5, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending August 5, saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads, at 222,199, were off 1% annually, trailing the weeks ending July 29 and July 22, at 230,511, and 222,454, respectively.

AAR说that five of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: motor vehicles and parts, up 1,740 carloads, to 14,991; metallic ores and metals, up 1,131 carloads, to 22,050; and miscellaneous carloads, up 817 carloads, to 8,308. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: grain, down 3,658 carloads, to 15,623; coal, down 1,245 carloads, to 64,574; and chemicals, down 799 carloads, to 30,264.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 249,739 units, were off 5.2% annually, trailing the weeks ending July 29 and July 22, at 252,970, and 251,282, respectively.

Through the first 31 weeks of 2023, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 6,941,594, are up 0.4% annually, and intermodal units, at 7,330,887, are off 9.5%.