U.S. freight-rail traffic rises slightly in Week 25

U.S. railroads logged 487,328 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending June 21, a 0.4% increase compared with traffic levels in the same week a year ago, according to Association of American Railroads data.

The railroads hauled 229,655 carloads, a 4.5% increase, and 257,673 containers and trailers, a 2.9% decrease.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups that AAR tracks every week logged gains. They included grain, up 22.5% to 21,300 carloads; miscellaneous, up 23.8% to 10,723; and metallic ores and metals, up 5.5% to 22,269 carloads.

Commodity groups that posted declines included nonmetallic minerals, down 1.7% to 31,460 carloads; forest products, down 0.4% to 8,050; and farm products excluding grain, and food, down slightly to 16,872.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 89,135 carloads for the week, up 1.3%, and 75,604 intermodal units, up 8.9%. Mexican railroads logged 17,258 carloads, up 1.8%, and 10,500 intermodal units, down 10.7%.

For the first 25 weeks of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024:

• U.S. railroads hauled 12,197,472 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.1%,

• Canadian railroads reported 4,071,342 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.1%; and

• Mexican railroads posted 591,204 carloads and intermodal units, down 8.8%.