U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes seen annual gains in August, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes saw annual gains in August, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Carloads, at 1,386,026, increased 3.8%, or 50,335 carloads, compared to August 2017. AAR said that 16 of the 20 carload commodities it tracks awe annual gains, including: grain, up 18,989 carloads or 19.8%; petroleum & petroleum products, up 12,780 carloads or 28.8%; and chemicals, up 11,911 carloads or 7.8%. Commodities that saw declines in August 2018 from August 2017 included: coal, down 15,410 carloads or 3.2%; nonmetallic minerals, down 4,034 carloads or 16.6%; and metallic ores, down 1,061 carloads or 3.2%. AAR said that excluding coal, carloads were up 65,745 carloads, or 7.6%, in August 2018 from August 2017, and excluding coal and grain, carloads were up 46,756 carloads, or 6.1%.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 1,442,920, headed up 5.1%, or 70,198 units, annually. AAR said that total U.S. carload and intermodal originations, at 2,828,946, were up 4.5%, or 120,533 carloads and intermodal units, annually.

“August was a very good month for U.S. rail traffic with 16 of the 20 carload commodity categories the AAR tracks registering higher carloads in August 2018 than in August 2017, the most since January 2015,” said AAR Senior Vice President of Policy and Economics John T. Gray in a statement. “The U.S. economy has been improving since the 2016 slow down and freight railroads are committed to maintaining the economic momentum by moving goods safely and efficiently for their customers. Still a concern, however, trade policy discussions that add a level of uncertainty to future economic growth.”

U.S. carloads for the first eight months of 2018, at 9,181,733, are up 1.9%, or 172,712 carloads, annually, and intermodal units, at 9,704,619, are up 6%, or 547,613 units.

For the week ending September 1, AAR reported that U.S. carloads were up 9.6% annually at 280,336, and intermodal units were up 6% at 287,515.