U.S. freight-rail traffic jumps 3.6% in Week 40

U.S. freight-rail traffic rose 3.6% to 503,538 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Oct. 4 compared with traffic results in the same week in 2024, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Railroads hauled 224,972 carloads, a slight increase, and 278,566 containers and trailers, up 6.7%.

Six of the 10 carload commodities that AAR tracks weekly logged an increase. Gainers included nonmetallic minerals, up 6.9% to 31,710 carloads; chemicals, up 5.9% to 32,919; and motor vehicles and parts, up 5.3% to 16,154.

Commodity groups that logged a decrease included coal, down 7.7% to 56,252 carloads; farm products excluding grain and food, down 2.1% to 17,658; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 2.5% to 10,538.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 93,421 carloads for the week, down 1.4%, and 72,787 intermodal units, up 6%. Mexican railroads reported 12,463 carloads, a 45.1% increase, and 14,909 intermodal units, an 82.9% increase.

For the first 40 weeks of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024:

• U.S. railroads reported 19,729,514 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9%;

• Canadian railroads posted 6,473,565 carloads, containers and trailers, up 2%; and

• Mexican railroads logged 951,491 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.9%.