North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was 7,962,904 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers for the 12-week period ending March 22, 2025. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 5,802,711 carloads and intermodal units, a 4.2% rise from the same period in 2024; in Canada, 1,882,686 carloads and intermodal units, a 0.2% dip; and in Mexico, 277,507 carloads and intermodal units, an 8.4% fall-off.
According to the AAR, U.S. Class I railroads hauled 496,214 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending March 22, 2025, up 5.5% compared with last year. That comprised 224,904 carloads, up 4.5% from 2024, and 271,310 containers and trailers, up 6.3% from last year.
Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups for the week ending March 22, 2025, posted an increase compared with the prior-year period. They included coal, up 3,766 carloads, to 57,497; nonmetallic minerals, up 2,014 carloads, to 29,612; and metallic ores and metals, up 1,685 carloads, to 20,198. One commodity group posted a decline: forest products, down 333 carloads, to 8,204.
For the first 12 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,539,670 carloads, down 0.6% from 2024, and 3,263,041 intermodal units, up 8.2% from last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending March 22, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 333,674 carloads, rising 3.0% compared with the same week last year, and 358,481 intermodal units, gaining 5.3% over last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America came in at 692,155 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.2%.
For the week ending March 22, 2025, Canadian railroads reported 93,141 carloads, up 1.8%, and 76,988 intermodal units, up 4.5% from the same week last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,629 carloads for the week ending March 22, 2025, falling 9.7% from the same week last year, and 10,183 intermodal units, dropping 11.9%.
