U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed, for week ending October 14, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volume, for the week ending October 14, were mixed according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads, at 225,405, were off 2.0% annually, trailing the weeks ending October 7 and September 30, at 233,768, and 235,988, respectively.

AAR reported that six of the ten carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,774 carloads, to 10,583; motor vehicles and parts, up 955 carloads, to 15,712; and miscellaneous carloads, up 809 carloads, to 8,786. Commodity groups posting annual declines included coal, down 4,787 carloads, to 62,138; grain, down 2,049 carloads, to 22,176; and metallic ores and metals, down 1,705 carloads, to 18,137.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 267,376 units, increased 2.8% annually, topping the weeks ending October 7 and September 30, at 265,449, and 264,166, respectively.

Through the first 41 weeks of 2023, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 9,234,003, are up 0.3% annually, and intermodal units, at 9,862,159, are off 7.7% annually.