United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending May 18, were mixed, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) this week.
Rail carloads, at 214,092, were off 4.8% annually, topping the weeks ending May 11 and May 4, at 209,319, and 213,410, respectively.
AAR said that five of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: grain, up 2,004 carloads, to 19,917; petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,007 carloads, to 10,330; and chemicals, up 714 carloads, to 32,294. Commodity groups posting annual declines: included coal, down 12,113 carloads, to 50,520; metallic ores and metals, down 1,872 carloads, to 20,570; and nonmetallic minerals, down 1,137 carloads, to 31,798.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 260,794 units, saw a 6.2% annual increase, topping the weeks ending May 11 and May 4, at 254,429, and 249,696, respectively.
Through the first 20 weeks of 2024, U.S. rail carloads, at 4,259,530, are down 4.9% annually, and intermodal units, at 5,057,135, are up 8.5% annually.