The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 27, 2025.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 512,642 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.0 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending September 27 were 228,903 carloads, up 0.9 percent compared with the same week in 2024, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 283,739 containers and trailers, up 1.1 percent compared to 2024.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included nonmetallic minerals, up 2,249 carloads, to 32,825; grain, up 1,710 carloads, to 22,609; and motor vehicles and parts, up 499 carloads, to 17,205. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 included coal, down 1,330 carloads, to 59,499; petroleum and petroleum products, down 439 carloads, to 10,343; and metallic ores and metals, down 355 carloads, to 20,853.
For the first 39 weeks of 2025, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,652,275 carloads, up 2.1 percent from the same point last year; and 10,573,701 intermodal units, up 3.5 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 39 weeks of 2025 was 19,225,976 carloads and intermodal units, representing a 2.9 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending September 27, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 336,303 carloads, down 0.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 371,988 intermodal units, up 2.2 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 708,291 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.8 percent. North American rail volume for the first 39 weeks of 2025 was 26,457,452 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3 percent compared with 2024.
Canadian railroads reported 93,860 carloads for the week, down 3.2 percent, and 72,540 intermodal units, up 3.2 percent compared with the same week in 2024. For the first 39 weeks of 2025, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,307,357 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 2.1 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 13,540 carloads for the week, down 7.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 15,709 intermodal units, up 21.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 39 weeks of 2025 was 924,119 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 7.1 percent from the same point last year.
