AAR reports annual carload and intermodal gains for April 2017

Both United States rail carloads and intermodal volumes saw annual gains in April, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carloads saw an 8.4 percent, or 78,949 carloads, annual gain to 1,023,300. And ten of the 20 carload commodities tracked by the AAR saw increases compared to April 2016, including: coal, up 26.7 percent or 65,158 carloads; grain, up 18.7 percent or 14,612 carloads; and crushed stone, sand and gravel, up 12.9 percent or 11,777 carloads. Commodities that saw declines in April 2017 from April 2016 included: petroleum and petroleum products, down 13.1 percent or 5,929 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, down 9.1 percent or 6,777 carloads; and metallic ores, down 8.4 percent or 2,083 carloads. 

When excluding coal, carloads were up 2 percent in April.

"U.S. grain car loadings during April 2017 were the highest since 2011, with rail grain deliveries to ports since the first of the year running 19 percent ahead of 2016," said AAR Senior Vice President of Policy and Economic John T. Gray in a statement "These agricultural exports improve our balance of trade and strengthen the farm economy. Sales of motor vehicles fell for the second straight month in April as financing companies have reportedly hit the brakes, tightening lending standards following the satisfaction of the pent-up demand coming out of the 2009 recession. As a result, rail shipments of motor vehicles and parts fell again in April. We are hopeful that the upcoming summer buying season will clear dealer inventories and drive up demand for railroads to deliver new vehicles."

Intermodal containers and trailers rose 2.3 percent, or 23,448 units, compared to April 2016.

Through the first four months of the year, U.S. rail carloads are up 6.4 percent, or 259,614 carloads, to 4,347,402. Intermodal containers and trailers are up 1.6 percent, or 71,425 units, to 4,439,681.

For the week ending April 29, U.S. carloads are up 6 percent annually to 258,476, and intermodal is up 4.2 percent annually to 269,354.