In September, U.S. railroad volumes dropped compared to last year, according to an Association of American Railroads (AAR) report.
Container and trailer volume dropped 5.9 percent to 1.06 million units, while originated carload volume decreased 7 percent to 992,542 units.
Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations dropped 6.4 percent to 2.05 million units.
“Fundamental long-term structural changes — including the continued erosion of coal markets; growth in the domestic intermodal and chemical sectors; and the current disruptions to manufacturing, agricultural, and international intermodal markets stemming from trade uncertainty and the evolution of consumer purchasing practices — have all required adaptation and renewed focus on basic railroad management and operational principles,” AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray said. “That said, the industry’s ultimate goal will remain what it’s always been: providing safe, cost-effective transportation that meets the evolving demands of our customers’ markets, now and in the future.”
Commodities increased in six of the 20 categories, including primary forest products, nonmetallic minerals, and clay and glass products.
For the first nine months of the year, combined carloads and intermodal traffic fell 3.9 percent to 20.3 million units, intermodal units dropped 4.1 percent to 10.4 million containers and trailers, and carload traffic decreased 3.8 percent to 9.9 million carloads.