U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed, for week ending January 14, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending January 14, were mixed, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads—at 244,171—saw a 4.2% annual gain, topping the weeks ending December 31 and January 7, at 179,992 and 212,962, respectively.

AAR said that seven of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: grain up 3,483 carloads, to 28,008; nonmetallic minerals, up 3,033 carloads, to 30,380; and motor vehicles and parts, up 2,176 carloads, to 14,562. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: chemicals, down 2,226 carloads, to 31,793; forest products, down 715 carloads, to 9,244; and miscellaneous carloads, down 117 carloads, to 9,580.

Intermodal containers and trailers—at 241,829 units—fell 7% annually, coming in ahead of the weeks ending December 31 and January 7, at 185,561 and 203,257, respectively.

Through the first two weeks of 2022, AAR reported that U.S. rail carload volume—at 457,133—is up 2.9% annually, with intermodal units—at 445,356—down 9.2%.

North American rail volume for the week ending January 14, 2023, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 350,991 carloads, up 7.5% annually, and 319,854 intermodal units, down 6% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 670,845 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.6%. North American rail volume for the first two weeks of 2023 was 1,247,565 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.7% compared with 2022.