U.S. freight-rail traffic jumps 5% in Week 27

U.S. freight-rail traffic climbed 5% to 443,049 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending July 5 compared with the same week in 2024, according to Association of American Railroads data.

The railroads hauled 204,513 carloads in the week, a 4.8% increase, and 238,536 containers and trailers, a 5.2% increase.

Eight of the 10 carload commodities that AAR tracks every week logged increases. The gainers included metallic ores and metals, up 10% to 20,319 carloads; coal, up 2.3% to 52,351; and nonmetallic minerals, up 6.1% to 28,346. The commodity groups that posted decreases were forest products, down 2% to 7,798 carloads; and farm products excluding grain, and food, down 1% to 15,387.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 81,838 carloads for the week, down 8.3%, and 73,636 intermodal units, up 10.8%. Mexican railroads posted 15,449 carloads, a 40.9% increase; and 10,992 intermodal units, a 21% increase.

For the first 27 weeks of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024:
• U.S. railroads reported 13,131,945 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.9%;
• Canadian railroads posted 4,394,093 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.2%; and
• Mexican railroads logged 644,817 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.5%.