Weekly US rail traffic for the week ending 17 April 2025

Total carloads for the week ending May 17 were 229 226 carloads, up 7.1% compared with the same week in 2024, while US weekly intermodal volume was 261 549 containers and trailers, up 0.3% compared to 2024.

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included coal, up 8809 carloads, to 59 207; miscellaneous carloads, up 1221 carloads, to 10 279; and grain, up 1195 carloads, to 21 108. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 were forest products, down 266 carloads, to 7937; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 56 carloads, to 10 274.

For the first 20 weeks of 2025, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 4 354 843 carloads, up 2.2% from the same point last year; and 5 437 091 intermodal units, up 7.5% from last year. Total combined US traffic for the first 20 weeks of 2025 was 9 791 934 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 5.1% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending 17 May 2025, on 9 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 338 480 carloads, up 5.9% compared with the same week last year, and 349 473 intermodal units, up 1.9% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 687 953 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.8%. North American rail volume for the first 20 weeks of 2025 was 13 497 647 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3% compared with 2024.

Canadian railroads reported 92 712 carloads for the week, up 0.0%, and 77 376 intermodal units, up 6.8% compared with the same week in 2024. For the first 20 weeks of 2025, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3 247 385 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.6%.

Mexican railroads reported 16 542 carloads for the week, up 27.8% compared with the same week last year, and 10 548 intermodal units, up 9.6%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 20 weeks of 2025 was 458 328 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 11.2% from the same point last year.