U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes are mixed, for week ending August 23, reports AAR
Summary
United States rail volumes for the week ending 23 August showed a mixed picture, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Total carloads nudged up year‑on‑year, while intermodal containers and trailers slipped slightly. Several commodity groups posted gains, but declines in petroleum, coal and miscellaneous carloads tempered overall growth.
Key Points
- Rail carloads: 229,783 — a 0.6% increase year‑over‑year, and slightly higher than the prior two weeks.
- Intermodal containers and trailers: 282,500 — down 1.9% versus the same week last year.
- Commodity winners: grain (+1,723 carloads to 20,389), motor vehicles & parts (+1,001 to 17,681), and farm products excluding grain & food (+640 to 16,140).
- Commodity declines: petroleum & petroleum products (-1,068 to 9,769), coal (-370 to 62,043), and miscellaneous carloads (-249 to 9,100).
- Year‑to‑date (first 34 weeks of 2025): carloads 7,514,403 (+2.6% YoY); intermodal units 9,184,705 (+4.2% YoY).
Content summary
The AAR data for the week ending 23 August shows modest strength in carload traffic, supported by agricultural and automotive shipments, while intermodal volumes were slightly weaker compared with the same week last year. Coal and petroleum continue to weigh on carload totals in that week, but year‑to‑date figures show growth in both carloads and intermodal units. Weekly comparisons also indicate a small uptick versus the two previous weeks.
Context and relevance
This weekly snapshot matters because AAR numbers are a timely indicator of freight demand, modal shifts and commodity trends. Shippers, carriers and logistics planners watch these figures to gauge inventory flows, seasonal demand and energy‑sector activity. The mixed results—agriculture and autos up, energy and coal down—reflect broader shifts in demand and commodity mix that can influence capacity planning and pricing across the supply chain.
Why should I read this?
Quick heads‑up: if you work in shipping, rail logistics or manage freight budgets, this is the kind of data you’ll want on your radar. We’ve skimmed the numbers and pulled the bits that matter — grain and autos are up, coal and petroleum are down, and intermodal is easing a touch. Worth a short read to stay current without digging through the full AAR release.