Rail traffic in the United States declined 2.2% in the week ending Sept. 20 compared with the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads reported.
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Total carloads were down 1.8% compared with the same week in 2024, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was down 2.5% compared to 2024.
Two of the 10 carload commodity groups, grain and metallic ores and metals, posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. Commodity groups that posted decreases included coal; miscellaneous carloads; and nonmetallic minerals.
For the first 38 weeks of 2025, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,423,372 carloads, up 2.2%, and 10,289,962 intermodal units, up 3.6% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 38 weeks of 2025 was 18,713,334 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3% y/y.
North American rail volume for the week ending Sept. 20 on nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 330,479 carloads, down 2.6% compared with year-ago week, and 366,778 intermodal units, down 1.2%. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 697,257 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.8%. North American rail volume for the first 38 weeks of 2025 was up 2.4% compared with 2024.
Canadian carloads were down 2.8% for the week, while intermodal volume increased 4.2%. For the first 38 weeks of 2025, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume was up 2.1%.
Mexican railroads reported 11,954 carloads for the week, down 13.1% compared with the same week last year, and 12,006 intermodal units, down 0.2%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 38 weeks of 2025 was 894,870 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 7.5% y/y.
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Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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