The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 20, 2025.  For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 510,677 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.2 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending September 20 were 228,609 carloads, down 1.8 percent compared with the same week in 2024, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 282,068 containers and trailers, down 2.5 percent compared to 2024.

Two of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They were grain, up 2,170 carloads, to 23,147; and metallic ores and metals, up 380 carloads, to 20,358. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2024 included coal, down 3,112 carloads, to 60,029; miscellaneous carloads, down 1,644 carloads, to 8,634; and nonmetallic minerals, down 736 carloads, to 31,402.

For the first 38 weeks of 2025, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,423,372 carloads, up 2.2 percent from the same point last year; and 10,289,962 intermodal units, up 3.6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 38 weeks of 2025 was 18,713,334 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.0 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending September 20, 2025, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 330,479 carloads, down 2.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 366,778 intermodal units, down 1.2 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 697,257 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.8 percent. North American rail volume for the first 38 weeks of 2025 was 25,749,161 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4 percent compared with 2024.

Canadian railroads reported 89,916 carloads for the week, down 2.8 percent, and 72,704 intermodal units, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week in 2024. For the first 38 weeks of 2025, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,140,957 carloads, containers and trailers, up 2.1 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 11,954 carloads for the week, down 13.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 12,006 intermodal units, down 0.2 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 38 weeks of 2025 was 894,870 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 7.5 percent from the same point last year.

-via Press Release