U.S. freight-rail traffic climbs 6% in Week 11

U.S. freight-rail traffic for the week ending March 15 was 503,473 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.2% compared with the same week last year, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.

Total carloads for the week were 226,027, up 3.1%, while weekly intermodal volume was 277,446 containers and trailers, up 8.8%.

Six of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR posted gains for the week. They included coal, up 10.7% to 61,459 carloads; metallic ores and metals, up 5% to 19,585; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1.3% to 29,705.

Commodity groups that posted decreases included petroleum and petroleum products, down 3.5% to 9,599 carloads; farm products excluding grain, and food, down 0.9% carloads to 17,240; and motor vehicles and parts, down 0.9% to 16,501.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 92,864 carloads for the week, down 3.3%, and 73,247 intermodal units, up 3.2%. Mexican railroads posted 15,666 carloads, down 1.5%, and 10,910 intermodal units, down 8.4%.

For the first 11 weeks of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024:

• U.S. railroads posted 5,306,497 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.1%;
• Canadian railroads reported 1,712,557 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.6%; and
• Mexican railroads logged 251,695 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 8.2%.