North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads came in at 14,173,143 carloads and intermodal units for the 21-week period ending May 24, 2025, the AAR reported May 28. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 10,280,643 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.9% from the same point last year; in Canada, 3,407,247 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.7%; and in Mexico, 485,253 carloads and intermodal units, down 10.1%.
Results were similar through the first 20 weeks of 2025 (ending May 17).
For the week ending May 24, 2025, U.S. Class I railroads carried 488,709 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.7% compared with the same point last year, according to the AAR. That comprised 226,091 carloads, up 3.8% from last year, and 262,618 containers and trailers, down 1.8% from 2024. In comparison, for the week ending May 17, 2025, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 490,775 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.4% compared with the same week last year; total carloads were 229,226, up 7.1%, and intermodal volume was 261,549 containers and trailers, up 0.3%. The prior week, ending May 10, 2025, saw U.S. Class I’s hauling 495,552 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.7% compared with the same point last year; that included 222,238 carloads, up 6.2%, and 273,314 containers and trailers, up 5.4%.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase for the week ending May 24, 2025, compared with the same week last year. They included coal, up 6,096 carloads, to 56,416; miscellaneous carloads, up 1,703 carloads, to 10,537; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1,090 carloads, to 32,051. Commodity groups that posted declines included petroleum and petroleum products, down 778 carloads, to 10,559; chemicals, down 358 carloads, to 33,088; and forest products, down 247 carloads, to 8,343.
For the first 21 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,580,934 carloads, a 2.3% increase over the year-ago period; and 5,699,709 intermodal units, a 7.0% gain.
North American rail volume for the week ending May 24, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 330,466 carloads, up 4.5% from the same week last year, and 345,345 intermodal units, down 0.8% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 675,811 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8%.
Canadian railroads reported 87,174 carloads for the week ending May 24, 2025, rising 2.9%, and 72,688 intermodal units, increasing 2.6% from the same week last year.
For the week ending May 24, 2025, Mexican railroads reported 17,201 carloads, up 26.3% from the same point last year, and 10,039 intermodal units, up 4.5%.
