AAR reports annual declines for March carload and intermodal volumes

As had been the case over the course of several previous weeks, United States rail carload and intermodal volumes both saw declines on an annual basis, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carloads fell 14.2 percent, or 198,737, to 1,196,167. And seven of the 20 carload commodities the AAR tracks were up for the month compared to March 2015. Chemicals were up 5.5 percent, miscellaneous carloads were up 24.8 percent, and motor vehicles and parts were up 5.2 percent. Coal continued its ongoing decline, falling 35.9 percent and petroleum and petroleum products dropped 22.4 percent. When removing coal from total carload data, the AAR said that March carloads were down 1.2 percent annually.

Intermodal containers and trailers were down 7.7 percent, or 104,343 units, to 1,250,925 in March.

For the first quarter, U.S. carloads were off 13.8 percent annually, or 501,616, at 3,143,251, and intermodal was up 1.5 percent, or 49,958 units, at 3,339,672. And total carload and intermodal volumes for the quarter was off 6.5 percent, or 451,658 carloads and intermodal units, at 6,482,923.

“Railroads are still looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, and for some commodities, including coal and other energy-related products, it’s just not there yet,” said AAR Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics John T. Gray in a statement. “That said, most economist are calling for continued slow but steady economic growth for the U.S. in the months ahead. Railroads stand ready to provide the freight transportation service the economy will require.”

For the week ending April 2, U.S. rail carloads were down 14.3 percent at 238,138 carloads, and intermodal units were off 6.4 percent at 253,841 containers and trailers.