US rail freight still ahead of 2024 levels

Weekly U.S. rail volume remains ahead of 2024 levels — at least for now.

Amid reports that import traffic from China is about to drop dramatically, with an almost-certain impact on intermodal volume, both carload and intermodal traffic remained above previous-year levels for the week ending April 26, 2025.

Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show that U.S. traffic for the week was 502,105 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.5% from the same week in 2024. That includes 233,411 carloads, up 9% from the corresponding week a year ago, and 268,694 containers and trailers, up 2.6%.

Through 17 weeks of 2025, the total volume of 8,306,914 carloads and intermodal units represents a 5% increase over the same period in 2024. That includes a 1.5% rise in carloads and an 8% increase in intermodal units.

North American figures for the week, from nine reporting U.S, Canadian, and Mexican railroads, total 703,626 carloads and intermodal units, a 4.3% increase over the same week in 2024. That includes 343,175 carloads, up 5.9%, and 360,451 intermodal units, up 2.5%.

Year-to-date traffic for North America is 11,440,654 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.2% increase over the first 17 weeks of 2024. That includes a gain of 0.2% in Canada and a 10.1% decline in Mexico.

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