North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads came in at 22,988,498 carloads and intermodal units for the 34-week period ending Aug. 23, 2025, the AAR reported Aug. 27. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 16,699,108 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 3.5% from the same point last year; in Canada, 5,499,570 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.2%; and in Mexico, 789,820 carloads and intermodal units, down 8.4%.
Results were similar through the first 33 weeks of 2025 (ending Aug. 16, 2025).
For the week ending Aug. 23, 2025, U.S. Class I railroads carried 512,333 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.8% from the same point last year, according to the AAR. That comprised 229,783 carloads, up 0.6% from 2024, and 282,550 containers and trailers, down 1.9% from 2024.
Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included grain, up 1,723 carloads, to 20,389; motor vehicles and parts, up 1,001 carloads, to 17,681; and farm products excluding grain, and food, up 640 carloads, to 16,140. Commodity groups that posted declines included petroleum and petroleum products, down 1,068 carloads, to 9,769; coal, down 370 carloads, to 62,043; and miscellaneous carloads, down 249 carloads, to 9,100.
For the first 34 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,514,403 carloads, up 2.6% from the same point in 2024; and 9,184,705 intermodal units, up 4.2% from 2024.
North American rail volume for the week ending Aug. 23, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 322,359 carloads, up 5.3% compared with the same week last year, and 370,239 intermodal units, up 5.9% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America came in at 692,598 carloads and intermodal units, rising 5.6%.
Canadian railroads reported 80,067 carloads for the week ending Aug. 23, 2025, a gain of 23.8%, and 73,564 intermodal units, a gain of 47.7% over the same week last year.
For the week ending Aug. 23, 2025, Mexican railroads reported 12,509 carloads, dipping 3.6% from the same week last year, and 14,125 intermodal units, increasing 18.6%.
