United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week of May 4, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 213,410, fell 5.1% annually, trailing the weeks ending April 27 and April 20, at 214,414, and 216,945, respectively.
AAR said that seven of the 10 carload commodity groups saw annual gains, including: petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,611 carloads, to 10,628; miscellaneous carloads, up 1,610 carloads, to 8,184; and grain, up 1,193 carloads, to 21,725. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: coal, down 15,611 carloads, to 46,928; nonmetallic minerals, down 1,615 carloads, to 32,965; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 731 carloads, to 15,381.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 249,696, were down 4.9% annually, trailing the weeks ending April 27 and April 20, at 261,888, and 257,599, respectively.
Through the first eight weeks of 2024, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at3,836,119, were off 4.8% annually, and intermodal units, at 4,536,912, headed up 8.7% annually.