Big gains in both carload and intermodal traffic lifted U.S. weekly rail traffic to its biggest increase over 2024 levels in 10 weeks, and the second-biggest improvement of the year.
Statistics from the Association of American Railroads for the week that ended on Saturday show total volume of 513,553 carloads and intermodal units, an 8.6% gain over the same week a year ago. That includes 235,865 carloads, up 7.8% over the corresponding week in 2024, and 277,688 containers and trailers, up 9.4%.
The weekly gain is second only to a 25.9% increase in the third week of the year. No other week has shown a gain of more than 6.2%.
Coal led all categories at 22.1% higher, followed by grain, 10.4%, and motor vehicles and parts, 9.1%. Forest products were 3.9% lower – the second straight week of declines.
Through 13 weeks of 2025, total U.S. traffic is 6,316,264 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.5% over the same period a year ago. Carload traffic is up 0.1% while intermodal volume is 8.3% better.
North American totals for the week that ended Saturday, from nine reporting U.S, Canadian and Mexican railroads, is 717,082 carloads and intermodal units, a gain of 7.1% over the same week a year ago. That includes 349,262 carloads, up 5.3%, and 367,820 intermodal units, up 8.8%.
The year-to-date total of 8,679,986 carloads and intermodal units is up 3% compared to the first 13 weeks of 2024. That includes a 0.3% increase in Canada and an 8.8% decline in Mexico.
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