U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes see annual declines, for week ending September 20, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending September 20, saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads, at 228,609, fell 1.8% annually, trailing the week ending September 13, at 231,237, and topping the week ending September 6, at 214,383.

AAR reported that two of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: grain, up 2,170 carloads, to 23,147; and metallic ores and metals, up 380 carloads, to 20,358. Commodity groups posting annual declines included coal, down 3,112 carloads, to 60,029; miscellaneous carloads, down 1,644 carloads, to 8,634; and nonmetallic minerals, down 736 carloads, to 31,402.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 282,068 units, were off 2.5% annually, barely below the week ending September 13, at 282,930, and topping the week ending September 6, at 253,497.

Through the first 38 weeks of 2025, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 8,423,372, are up 2.2% annually, and intermodal units, at 10,289,962, are up 3.6% annually.