Rail freight stays ahead of year-ago traffic

Intermodal, carloads gain in latest week year-to-date

(Photo: FreightWaves/Jim Allen)
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • U.S. total rail freight volume for the week ending Nov. 22 decreased by 0.9% year-over-year, primarily due to a 3.2% decline in intermodal units despite a 2% rise in carloads.
  • Weekly carload commodity performance was mixed, with categories like grain and coal posting increases, while petroleum, forest products, and motor vehicles saw declines.
  • Despite the weekly decrease, both U.S. and North American combined rail traffic showed positive year-to-date growth through the first 47 weeks of 2025, up 2% and 1.8% respectively compared to the previous year.
See a mistake? Contact us.

The Association of American Railroads said all freight for the week ending Nov. 22 totaled 516,110 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.9% from the same week a year ago.

A total of 234,592 carloads was better by 2% while 281,518 containers and trailers slowed intermodal by 3.2% compared to 2024.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase year-on-year, led by grain, 9.5%; followed by coal, 8.2%, nonmetallic minerals, 8%, and metallic ores and metals, 1.4%.

(Chart: AAR)

Decliners included petroleum and related products, 10.1%; forest products, 7.1%, and motor vehicles and parts, 5.1%.

Through the first 47 weeks of 2025, volume was 10,462,354 carloads, an increase of 1.8% y/y, and 12,763,575 intermodal units, ahead 2.1%. Total combined U.S. traffic year-to-date was 23,225,929 carloads and intermodal units, up 2%.

North American rail volume for the week on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 343,457 carloads, better by 1.9%, and 365,425 intermodal units, weaker by 2%. Combined traffic was 708,882 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.1%. Volume for the first 47 weeks of 2025 was 31,955,940 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8% compared with 2024.

Subscribe to FreightWaves’ Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox.

Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

Related coverage:

BNSF on UP-NS merger: Don’t ruin a good thing

Union Pacific CEO: America needs coast-to-coast railroad, now

Rail merger no guarantee of growth: Analysts

Stuart Chirls

Stuart Chirls is a journalist who has covered the full breadth of railroads, intermodal, container shipping, ports, supply chain and logistics for Railway Age, the Journal of Commerce and IANA. He has also staffed at S&P, McGraw-Hill, United Business Media, Advance Media, Tribune Co., The New York Times Co., and worked in supply chain with BASF, the world's largest chemical producer. Reach him at stuartchirls@firecrown.com.