U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes see declines, for week ending November 1, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending November 1, saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads, at 227,209, were down 0.7% annually, topping the week ending October 25, at 226,748, and the week ending October 18, at 224,244.

AAR reported that four of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: grain, up 1,521 carloads, to 25,171; metallic ores and metals, up 1,097 carloads, to 21,151; and miscellaneous carloads, up 780 carloads, to 9,517. Commodity groups posting annual declines included: coal, down 1,878 carloads, to 55,508; motor vehicles and parts, down 1,672 carloads, to 14,917; and nonmetallic minerals, down 564 carloads, to 32,563.

Intermodal containers and trailers, at 269,719 units, fell 6.4% annually, trailing the weeks ending October 25 and October 18, at 272,940 and 273,610, respectively.

Through the first 44 weeks of 2025, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 9,780,010, are up 1.9% annually, and intermodal units, at 11,942,436, are up 2.8% annually.