North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads was 12,833,256 carloads and intermodal units for the 19-week period ending May 10, 2025, AAR reported May 14. Cumulative volume in the U.S. came in at 9,301,159 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, an increase of 5.2% from prior-year period; in Canada, 3,077,297 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.4%; and in Mexico, 454,800 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.9%.
Results were similar through the first 18 weeks of 2025 (ending May 3).
For the week ending May 10, 2025, U.S. Class I railroads hauled 495,552 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.7% compared with the same point last year, according to the AAR. That comprised 222,238 carloads, up 6.2% from last year, and 273,314 containers and trailers, up 5.4% from 2024.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included coal, up 9,760 carloads, to 56,488; grain, up 3,433 carloads, to 20,661; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1,198 carloads, to 32,661. Commodity groups that posted declines included metallic ores and metals, down 2,079 carloads, to 18,501; chemicals, down 742 carloads, to 32,329; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 656 carloads, to 10,342.
For the first 19 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,125,617 carloads, a 2.0% increase over 2024; and 5,175,542 intermodal units, a 7.9% gain over last year.
For the week ending May 10, 2025, North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 332,095 carloads, up 4.9%, and 363,279 intermodal units, up 5.9% from the year-earlier period. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 695,374 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 5.4%.
Canadian railroads reported 94,378 carloads for the week ending May 10, 2025, dipping 0.3%, and 79,891 intermodal units, rising 8.6% from the same point last year.
Mexican railroads reported 15,479 carloads for the week ending May 10, 2025, jumping up 24.6% from the same week last year, and 10,074 intermodal units, flat with last year.
