U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed in October, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the month of October, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 947,013—headed up 3.8%, or 34,510 carloads, annually. And when excluding coal, AAR said U.S. carloads were up 14,727 carloads, or 2.2% annually, and when excluding coal and grain, carloads were up 21,102 carloads, or 3.7%.

AAR said that 15 of the 20 carload commodity categories it tracks saw annual gains, including: coal, up 19,783 carloads or 8.3%; chemicals, up 8,184 carloads or 6.7%; and crushed stone, sand & gravel, up 5,331 carloads or 7.1%. Commodities that saw annual declines included: motor vehicles & parts, down 9,487 carloads or 15.3%; grain, down 6,375 carloads or 6.0%; and petroleum & petroleum products, down 2,495 carloads or 6.1%.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 1,077515—fell 7.9%, or 92,400 units, annually.

“For railroads, the supply chain challenges are being felt most keenly in our intermodal terminals where rail customers have been unable to clear their freight as quickly as they and the railroads would like,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray, in a statement. “The shortages of dray trucks, drivers and warehouse space are significant constraints that drove intermodal volumes down in October. Railroads continue to work closely with their customers and supply chain partners to address these challenges, while maintaining network fluidity and delivering the maximum possible freight volumes safely and efficiently.”

For the week ending October 30, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads­—at 238,267—saw a 4.9% annual increase, trailing the week ending October 23—at 239,195—and topping the week ending October 16—at 229,730.

Intermodal containers and trailers, for the same period, slipped 7.3% annually, to 271,874. This topped the weeks ending October 23 and October 16, at 271,567, and 267,253, respectively.