AAR reports annual U.S. carload and intermodal gains for week ending January 21

Both United States rail carloads and intermodal volumes saw annual gains for the week ending January 21, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carloads jumped 10.7 percent compared to the same week last year at 262,496, which was ahead of the week ending January 14 at 253,223 and the week ending January 7 at 221,146.

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR were up annually, including: coal, up 22.4 percent to 90,786 carloads; grain, up 16.3 percent to 24,485 carloads; and miscellaneous carloads, up 12.7 percent to 10,052 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2016 were petroleum and petroleum products, down 17.7 percent to 10,217 carloads; and forest products, down 5 percent to 9,726 carloads.

Intermodal container and trailers saw a 5.8 percent annual increase to 267,803, which outpaced the week ending January 14 at 263,006 and the week ending January 7 at 220,271.  

Through the first three weeks of 2017, carloads are up 2.5 percent annually at 736,865, and intermodal containers and trailers at 751,080 are down 3.2 percent.