AAR reports another down week for U.S. carload and intermodal volumes

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes again saw annual declines for the week ending June 25, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carloads were down 5.2 percent annually at 257,965, which outpaced the week ending June 18 at 250,748 and the week ending June 11 at 248,039.

The AAR said that three of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks were up compared to the same week a year ago, with miscellaneous carloads up 20.7 percent to 10,559 and grain up 16.5 percent to 22,182. Petroleum and petroleum products dropped 15.3 percent to 11,657 carloads, and coal fell 14.3 percent to 77,514.

Intermodal containers and trailers were off 2.7 percent annually to 268,196 containers and trailers, which was ahead of the 265,438 recorded the week ending June 18 and the 265,432 recorded for the week ending June 11. 

On a year-to-date basis through the first 25 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,031,201 carloads, down 13 from the same point last year; and 6,447,927 intermodal units, down 2.4 percent from last year.