U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes see declines, for week ending September 13, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes saw annual declines, for the week ending September 13, according to data issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) this week.

U.S. rail carloads, at 231,237, were off 0.5% annually, topping the week ending September 6, at 214,383, and trailing the week ending August 30, at 234,740.

AAR reported that five of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including chemicals, up 2,446 carloads, to 34,891; motor vehicles and parts, up 765 carloads, to 17,608; and nonmetallic minerals, up 732 carloads, to 32,754. Commodity groups posting annual declines: included coal, down 2,321 carloads, to 60,817; miscellaneous carloads, down 1,947 carloads, to 8,776; and farm products excl. grain, and food, down 834 carloads, to 16,382.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 282,930, decreased 2.6% annually, topping the week ending September 6, at 253,497, and trailing the week ending August 30, at 286,762.

Through the first 37 weeks of 2025, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 8,194,763, are up 2.3% annually and intermodal units, at 10,007,894, are up 3.8% annually.