U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are up, for week ending September 16, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending September 16, saw annual gains, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads, at 232,723, eked out a 0.2% annual gain, topping the weeks ending September 9 and September 2, at 218,101, and 231,113, respectively.

AAR said that six of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: motor vehicles and parts, up 2,410 carloads, to 16,233; petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,498 carloads, to 10,393; and chemicals, up 1,072 carloads, to 32,758. Commodity groups posting annual declines included coal, down 3,518 carloads, to 69,268; grain, down 1,581 carloads, to 16,294; and nonmetallic minerals, down 637 carloads, to 33,914.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 257,067 units, were up 3.3% annually, topping the weeks ending September 9 and September 2, at 229,244, and 245,738, respectively.

Through the first 37 weeks of 2023, AAR noted that U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,303,938 carloads, up 0.1% annually; and 8,806,749 units, down 8.7% annually. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 37 weeks of 2023 was 17,110,687 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.6% annually.