U.S. freight-rail traffic inches up 0.9% in Week 35

U.S. freight-rail traffic rose 0.9% to 521,502 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Aug. 30 compared with the same week in 2024, according to Association of American Railroads data.

The railroads hauled 234,740 carloads in the week, a 0.6% increase, and 286,762 containers and trailers, a 1.2% increase.

Five of the 10 carload commodities that AAR tracks every week logged an increase. Gainers included chemicals, up 4.9% to 34,960 carloads; metallic ores and metals, up 3.5% to 22,362; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1.4% to 32,602 carloads.

Commodity groups that posted decreases included petroleum and petroleum products, down 7.7% to 10,559; grain, down 3.6% to 19,766; and forest products, down 3.4% to 8,236 carloads.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads reported 90,367 carloads for the week, down 3.9%; and 71,949 intermodal units, up 23.1%. Mexican railroads reported 13,749 carloads, a 28% decrease; and 15,901 intermodal units, a 12.1% increase.

For the first 35 weeks of 2025 compared to 2024:

• U.S. railroads reported 17,220,610 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.4% increase;

• Canadian railroads posted 5,661,886 carloads, containers and trailers, up 2.3%; and

• Mexican railroads logged 819,470 carloads and intermodal units, down 8.5%.