U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are down, for week ending December 15, reports AAR

United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending December 15, saw annual declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Rail carloads, at 224,620, fell 1.7% annually, trailing the week ending December 6, at 228,823, and topping the week ending November 29, at 197,955, which was likely impacted by the timing of the Thanksgiving holiday.

AAR reported that three of the 10 carload commodity groups saw annual gains, including: miscellaneous carloads, up 764 carloads, to 9,514; metallic ores and metals, up 501 carloads, to 19,269; and coal, up 345 carloads, to 61,733. Commodity groups posting annual gains included: nonmetallic minerals, down 1,919 carloads, to 27,814; grain, down 1,321 carloads, to 22,944; and chemicals, down 858 carloads, to 32,013.

Weekly intermodal containers and trailer volume, at 294,284 units, decreased 1.2% annually, topping the weeks ending December 6 and November 29, at 280,176, and 234,860, respectively.

Through the first 50 weeks of 2025, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 11,113,752, is up 1.8% annually, and intermodal units, at 13,571,515, are up 1.7%, for the same period.