The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 15, 2025.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 503,473 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending March 15 were 226,027 carloads, up 3.1 percent compared with the same week in 2024, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 277,446 containers and trailers, up 8.8 percent compared to 2024.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included coal, up 5,956 carloads, to 61,459; metallic ores and metals, up 932 carloads, to 19,585; and nonmetallic minerals, up 380 carloads, to 29,705. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 352 carloads, to 9,599; farm products excl. grain, and food, down 148 carloads, to 17,240; and motor vehicles and parts, down 144 carloads, to 16,501.
For the first 11 weeks of 2025, U.S. railroads reported a cumulative volume of 2,314,766 carloads, down 1.1 percent from the same point last year; and 2,991,731 intermodal units, up 8.4 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 11 weeks of 2025 was 5,306,497 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 4.1 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending March 15, 2025, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 334,557 carloads, up 1.0 percent compared with the same week last year, and 361,603 intermodal units, up 7.0 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 696,160 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.1 percent. North American rail volume for the first 11 weeks of 2025 was 7,270,749 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.5 percent compared with 2024.
Canadian railroads reported 92,864 carloads for the week, down 3.3 percent, and 73,247 intermodal units, up 3.2 percent compared with the same week in 2024. For the first 11 weeks of 2025, Canadian railroads reported a cumulative rail traffic volume of 1,712,557 carloads, containers, and trailers, down 0.6 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 15,666 carloads for the week, down 1.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,910 intermodal units, down 8.4 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first ten weeks of 2025 was 251,695 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 8.2 percent from the same point last year.
