The Association of American Railroads in reporting freight rail traffic for the week ending June 7, 2025 (Week 23), noted that total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 483,807 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.3% from the prior-year period. Total carloads for the week came in at 225,301, up 3.1% from the same week in 2024, while intermodal volume was 258,506 containers and trailers, down 4.9% from last year. The last time U.S. weekly rail traffic dropped was Week 8, ending Feb. 22, 2025.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase for the week ending June 7, 2025, compared with the same week last year, the AAR reported June 11. They included coal, up 2,772 carloads, to 57,889; miscellaneous carloads, up 1,855 carloads, to 10,010; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1,503 carloads, to 32,404. Commodity groups that posted declines included motor vehicles and parts, down 701 carloads, to 15,958; petroleum and petroleum products, down 460 carloads, to 10,643; and farm products excluding grain, and food, down 452 carloads, to 16,985.
For the first 23 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,025,834 carloads, rising 2.5% from the same point in 2024; and 6,198,500 intermodal units, increasing 6.1% from 2024. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 23 weeks of 2025 was 11,224,334 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.5% from last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending June 7, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 330,823 carloads, a 2.4% gain over the same week last year, and 343,792 intermodal units, a 2.9% drop-off from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America came in at 674,615 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.3%. North American rail volume for the first 23 weeks of this year was 15,501,618 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.1% compared with 2024.
Canadian railroads reported 89,304 carloads for the week ending June 7, 2025, down 0.4%, and 75,377 intermodal units, up 6.5% compared with the same week last year. For the first 23 weeks of 2025, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,740,869 carloads, containers, and trailers, a 1.0% increase.
For the week ending June 7, 2025, Mexican railroads reported 16,218 carloads for the week, gaining 10.8% compared with the same week in 2024, and 9,909 intermodal units, decreasing 13.6%. Their cumulative volume for the first 23 weeks of this year was 536,415 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 9.4% from the year-ago period.
