AAR reports annual U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes for week ending June 24

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes saw annual gains for the week ending June 24, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads rose 2.3 percent compared to the same week a year ago at 263,504, which was below the week ending June 17 at 266,402 and the week ending June 10 at 265,717.

AAR said that four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2016, including coal, up 11.2 percent to 85,975 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, up 10.4 percent to 39,632 carloads; and chemicals, up 2.2 percent to 30,391 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2016 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 16 percent to 9,789 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, down 12.1 percent to 16,997 carloads; and metallic ores and metals, down 8.5 percent to 22,522 carloads.

Intermodal container and trailer volume increased 4.9% to 281,190, which topped the week ending June 17 at 276,777 and the week ending June 10 at 279,600.

On a year-to-date basis through the first 25 weeks of 2017, U.S. carloads were up 6.6% at 6,429,100, and intermodal containers and trailers saw a 2.6% annual gain at 6,616,665.