For the week ending Nov. 29, 2025, total U.S. rail traffic came in at 431,435 carloads and intermodal units, comprising 197,955 carloads, up 4.3% compared with the same week in 2024, and 233,480 containers and trailers, down 6.5% compared with 2024, AAR reported.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase vs. the same week in 2024. They included coal, up 4,818 carloads, to 56,972; nonmetallic minerals, up 2,858 carloads, to 23,353; and grain, up 2,424 carloads, to 21,019. Commodity groups that posted declines included miscellaneous carloads, down 1,046 carloads, to 6,769; forest products, down 849 carloads, to 6,848; and chemicals, down 679 carloads, to 29,583.
For the first 48 weeks of 2025, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 10,660,309 carloads, rising 1.8% from the prior-year period; and 12,997,055 intermodal units, increasing 1.9% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 48 weeks of this year was 23,657,364 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.9% gain over 2024.
North American rail volume for the week ending Nov. 29, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 302,151 carloads, up 3.1% compared with the same week last year, and 320,076 intermodal units, down 3.7% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 622,227 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.5%. North American rail volume for the first 48 weeks of this year came in at 32,578,167 carloads and intermodal units, a 1.7% increase from 2024.
For the week ending Nov. 29, 2025, Canadian railroads reported 90,821 carloads, rising 2.6%, and 71,365 intermodal units, increasing 2.1% from the prior-year period. For the first 48 weeks of this year, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,781,352 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 2.3%.
Mexican railroads reported 13,375 carloads for the week ending Nov. 29, 2025, a drop off of 8.9% from the same week last year, and 15,231 intermodal units, an increase of 19.4%. Their cumulative volume for the first 48 weeks of this year was 1,139,451 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 5.4% from the same point in 2024.
Further Reading:
- AAR: North American Rail Volume Up Through Week 47
- AAR: Mixed Results for U.S. Rail Traffic
- New AAR Analysis Underscores Freight Rail’s ‘Critical Role’ in Containing Inflation and Strengthening Supply Chains
