Rail shipments of aggregate up in January 2018

January 2018 saw more aggregate moved by rail than January 2017, AAR reports. Photo courtesy of Tealinc Ltd.

U.S. railroads originated more carloads of crushed stone, sand and gravel this January compared to January 2017, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports.

Carloads of crushed stone, sand and gravel were up 3.8 percent in January compared with January 2017. Eight of the 20 carload commodity categories AAR tracks were up in January.

Overall, U.S. railroads originated 1.21 million carloads in January, down 3.4 percent from January 2017. U.S. railroads also originated 1.31 million containers and trailers in January 2018, up 3.5 percent from the same month last year.

Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in January were 2.52 million, up 0.1 percent from January 2017.

“Recent stock market gyrations remind all of us that, when it comes to things related to the economy, conditions can change quickly,” says John Gray, AAR senior vice president. “For now, though, rail volumes are not flashing strong warning signs.

“In January, intermodal picked up where it left off last year, when it set a new annual record, and several carload categories showed gains for the month. To be sure, we could do without January’s sharp fall in motor vehicle and coal carloads, among others, but we’re hopeful that the basic economy remains on a firm footing and that the recent turmoil in the markets simply represents an adjustment to potential interest rate changes.”