U.S. freight-rail traffic slips 0.2% in Week 47

U.S. freight railroads transported 516,110 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Nov. 22, down 0.9% compared with traffic in the same week in 2024, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Total carloads rose 2% to 234,592, while intermodal units declined 3.2% to 281,518 containers and trailers.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by AAR each week posted an increase in carloads during the week. They included coal, up 8.2% to 62,956 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, up 8% to 32,282; and grain, up 9.5% to 25,893. 

Commodity groups that posted decreases included petroleum and petroleum products, down 10.1% to 10,587 carloads; chemicals, down 3.2% to 32,699; and miscellaneous carloads; down 10.7% to 8,875. 

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads posted 96,121 carloads in the week, up 1.5%, and 70,202 intermodal units, up 1.5%. Mexican railroads carried 12,744 carloads, up 1.5%, and 13,705 intermodal units, up 7.4%.

For the first 47 weeks of 2025 compared with traffic in the same period in 2024:

• U.S. railroads hauled 23,225,929 carloads and intermodal units, up 2%;
• Canadian railroads logged 7,619,166 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3%; and
• Mexican railroads posted 1,110,845 carloads, containers and trailers, down 5.6%.