AAR reports intermodal and carload volumes are up for week ending August 5

Both United States Carload and intermodal volumes saw annual gains for the week ending August 5, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carloads increased 1.9% to 273,199, which topped the week ending July 29 at 270,006. And six of the ten carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR were up annually, including: nonmetallic minerals, up 3,559 to 40,264 carloads; coal, up 3,073 to 92,517 carloads; and chemicals, up 1,993 to 32,621 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2016 included grain, down 3,279 to 20,846 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, down 1,161 to 15,609 carloads; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 1,112 to 9,386 carloads.

Intermodal containers and trailers headed up 6.8% annually to 281,623, which was ahead of the week ending July 29 at 270006.

Through the first 31 weeks of 2017, U.S. carloads are up 5.3% at 7,991,891, and intermodal containers and units are up 3.2% at 8,232,650.