U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes see annual declines, for week ending September 6, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending September 6, saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

The timing of the Labor Day holiday was a likely factor in the declines.

Rail carloads, at 214,383, fell 3.5% annually, trailing the weeks ending August 30 and August 23, at 234,740, and 229,783, respectively.

AAR said that three of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: miscellaneous carloads, up 1,132 carloads, to 8,512; motor vehicles and parts, up 973 carloads, to 14,633; and forest products, up 286 carloads, to 7,801. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: chemicals, down 2,875 carloads, to 29,802; coal, down 2,824 carloads, to 60,927; and grain, down 1,570 carloads, to 18,067.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 253,497 units, were off 1.4% annually, trailing the weeks ending August 30 and August 23, at 286,762, and 282,500, respectively.

Through the first 36 weeks of 2025, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 7,963,526, are up 2.4% annually, and intermodal units, at 9,724,964, are up 4.0% annually.