U.S. Class I railroads hauled 421,410 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Jan. 4, 2025, the AAR reported Jan. 8. Total carloads came in at 198,500, dipping 4.6%, while intermodal volume was 222,910 containers and trailers, rising 6.6% from the same week in 2024.
Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included chemicals, up 2,664 carloads, to 31,747; petroleum and petroleum products, up 919 carloads, to 10,852; and forest products, up 156 carloads, to 8,006. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 included coal, down 5,075 carloads, to 56,471; motor vehicles and parts, down 2,987 carloads, to 6,448; and metallic ores and metals, down 2,455 carloads, to 17,631.
North American rail volume for the week ending Jan. 4, 2025, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 289,826 carloads, down 5.1% compared with the same week last year, and 292,942 intermodal units, up 5.2% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 582,768 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.2%. North American rail volume for the first week of 2025 was 582,768 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.2% compared with 2024.
Canadian railroads reported 80,417 carloads for the week, down 6.1%, and 61,767 intermodal units, up 3.8% compared with the same week in 2024. For the first week of 2025, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 142,184 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.%.
Mexican railroads reported 10,909 carloads for the week, down 7.8% compared with the same week last year, and 8,265 intermodal units, down 16.8%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first week of 2025 was 19,174 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 11.9% from the same point last year.
