United States rail carload and intermodal volumes, for the week ending August 16, saw mild declines, according to data issued this week by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 228,884, fell 0.9% annually, topping the week ending August 9, at 227,327, and trailing the week ending August 2, at 233,085.
AAR reported that two of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: coal, up 1,807 carloads, to 63,878; and forest products, up 181 carloads, to 8,236. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 included miscellaneous carloads, down 1,236 carloads, to 7,881; metallic ores and metals, down 940 carloads, to 19,559; and grain, down 665 carloads, to 20,981.
Intermodal containers and trailers, at 284,086 units, were down 0.6% annually, topping the weeks ending August 9 and August 2, at 283,867, and 279,724, respectively.
Through the first 33 weeks of 2025, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 7,284,620, are up 2.7% annually, and intermodal units, at 8,902,155, are up 4.4% annually.
