The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 18, 2025.  For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 497,854 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.6 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending October 18 were 224,244 carloads, up 0.3 percent compared with the same week in 2024, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 273,610 containers and trailers, down 4.8 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 3,253 carloads, to 33,517; metallic ores and metals, up 1,461 carloads, to 20,355; and chemicals, up 970 carloads, to 32,046. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 included grain, down 2,364 carloads, to 21,011; miscellaneous carloads, down 1,521 carloads, to 8,413; and coal, down 1,057 carloads, to 57,604.

For the first 42 weeks of 2025, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,326,053 carloads, up 2.0 percent from the same point last year; and 11,399,777 intermodal units, up 3.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 42 weeks of 2025 was 20,725,830 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.7 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending October 18, 2025, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 330,151 carloads, up 0.0 percent compared with the same week last year, and 358,632 intermodal units, down 1.9 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 688,783 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.0 percent. North American rail volume for the first 42 weeks of 2025 was 28,533,333 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.2 percent compared with 2024.

Canadian railroads reported 92,310 carloads for the week, down 2.9 percent, and 70,928 intermodal units, up 5.2 percent compared with the same week in 2024. For the first 42 weeks of 2025, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,802,397 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.9 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,597 carloads for the week, up 19.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,094 intermodal units, up 33.9 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 42 weeks of 2025 was 1,005,106 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 4.4 percent from the same point last year.

-via Press Release