North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads came in at 14,827,003 carloads and intermodal units for the 22-week period ending May 31, 2025, the AAR reported June 4. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 10,740,527 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 4.8% from the same point last year; in Canada, 3,576,188 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.9%; and in Mexico, 510,288 carloads and intermodal units, down 9.8%.
Results were similar through the first 21 weeks of 2025 (ending May 24).
For the week ending May 31, 2025, U.S. Class I railroads carried 459,884 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.2% compared with the same point last year, according to the AAR. That comprised 219,599 carloads, up 6.6% from last year, and 240,285 containers and trailers, down 1.5% from 2024.
In comparison, for the week ending May 24, 2025, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 488,709 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.7% compared with the same week last year; total carloads were 226,091, up 3.8%, and intermodal volume was 262,618 containers and trailers, down 1.8%.
Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included coal, up 8,509 carloads, to 60,123; nonmetallic minerals, up 3,432 carloads, to 30,560; and chemicals, up 1,761 carloads, to 32,383. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 were motor vehicles and parts, down 886 carloads, to 13,887; forest products, down 637 carloads, to 7,832; and miscellaneous carloads, down 201 carloads, to 7,776.
For the first 22 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,800,533 carloads, a 2.5% increase over the year-ago period; and 5,939,994 intermodal units, a 6.7% gain.
North American rail volume for the week ending May 31, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 327,141 carloads, up 5.9% from the same week last year, and 326,719 intermodal units, up 0.1% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 653,860 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9%.
Canadian railroads reported 91,107 carloads for the week ending May 31, 2025, rising 2.5%, and 77,834 intermodal units, increasing 9.6% from the same week last year.
For the week ending May 31, 2025, Mexican railroads reported 16,435 carloads, up 11.0% from the same point last year, and 8,600 intermodal units, down 24.6%.
