U.S. freight-rail traffic climbs 1.8% in Week 2

U.S. freight-rail traffic rose 1.8% to 465,390 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending Jan. 11 compared to traffic levels during the same week in 2024, according to the Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads for the week totaled 199,511 carloads, down 6.4%, while intermodal volume totaled 265,879 units, up 8.9%.

Four of 10 carload commodity groups that the AAR tracks each week posted increases. Gainers included grain, up 12.7% to 21,124 carloads; farm products excluding grain, and food, up 8.9% to 17,442; and forest products, up 4.9% to 8,588.

Meanwhile, commodity groups that logged decreases included coal, down 10.7% to 52,232 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, down 28.4% to 9,788; and nonmetallic minerals, down 12.6% to 22,229.

Also during the week, Canadian railroads reported 91,438 carloads, up 5.8%, and 71,361 intermodal units, up 11.2%. Mexican railroads posted 15,037 carloads, down 0.1%, and 10,885 intermodal units, down 4.2%.

For the first two weeks of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024:
• U.S. railroads reported 886,800 carloads, containers and trailers, 1.4% increase;
• Canadian railroads posted 304,983 carloads, containers and trailers, a 3.1% increase; and
• Mexican railroads reported 45,096 carloads, and intermodal units, a 6.4% decrease.