U.S. railroads’ intermodal volume up for third straight week

(Source: Progressive Railroading 08/27/2020)

U.S. freight railroads’ combined intermodal volume rose 5 percent to 285,086 containers and trailers during the week ending Aug. 22 compared with the same period a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data. 

Intermodal volume increased for the third straight week in the United States. But carload volume continued to fall — U.S. railroads logged 229,828 carloads, down 12 percent year over year. 

U.S. railroads also reported combined carload and intermodal volume totaling 514,914 units for the week, down 3.3 percent.

Only two of 10 carload commodity groups posted increases: Grain rose 1,489 carloads to 22,530, and farm products (excluding grain) climbed 705 carloads to 15,951.

Commodity groups that posted decreases included coal, down 16,929 units to 64,500, and nonmetallic minerals, down 8,464 carloads to 30,294.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 71,766 carloads for the week, a 14.2 percent decrease, and 68,970 intermodal units, a 5.8 percent decrease. Mexican railroads reported 19,055 carloads for the week, down 12 percent, and 16,947 intermodal units, down 2.9 percent.

For the first 34 weeks of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019:
• U.S. railroads logged 15,550,427 carloads and intermodal units, down 11.9 percent;
• Canadian railroads posted 4,713,185 carloads and intermodal units, down 8.6 percent; and
• Mexican railroads reported 1,157,336 carloads and intermodal units, down 10.7 percent.