U.S. freight-rail traffic inches up 0.7% in 2025's last full week

U.S. freight railroads hauled 392,295 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending Dec. 27, 2025, up 0.7% compared with traffic in the same week in 2024, according to Association of American Railroads data. The reported period was the last full week of 2025.

Total carloads rose 2.5% to 188,673 units, while intermodal units fell 1% to 203,622 containers and trailers.

Six of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by AAR each week posted increases during the week. They included coal, up 9.9% to 55,823 carloads; motor vehicles and parts, up 21.9% to 9,910; and grain, up 5.6% to 20,579.

Commodity groups that posted decreases during the week include chemicals, down 7.1% to 28,533 carloads; miscellaneous, down 16.1% to 6,258; and forest products, down 6.3% to 6,750.

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads posted 74,120 carloads in the week, down 7%, and 54,633 intermodal units, up 4.9%. Mexican railroads carried 9,551 carloads, down 12.9%, and 10,877 intermodal units, up 5.4%.

In the first 52 weeks of 2025 compared with traffic in the same period in 2024:

• U.S. railroads hauled 25,564,700 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.5%;
• Canadian railroads logged 8,387,041 carloads and intermodal units, up 2%; and
• Mexican railroads posted 1,235,581 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.5%.