WASHINGTON — U.S. weekly rail traffic has experienced its first drop of 2025, with traffic for the week ending Jan. 25 down 2.5% compared to the same week in 2024.
According to the Association of American Railroads, volume for the week consisted of 454,797 carloads and intermodal units. That included 189,125 carloads, a decline of 8.8%, and 262,672 containers and trailers, up 2.5%.
The first three weeks of the year had seen weekly volume increases of 1%, 1.8%, and 25.9% compared to the same weeks in January 2024.
Year-to-date carload volume is up 0.3% compared to the first four weeks of 2024, while intermodal volume is showing a 10.3% increase. The combined volume of 1,841,757 carloads and intermodal units represents a 6% increase over the same period a year ago.
North American volume for the week, from nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, included 292,415 carloads, down 4.9% from the corresponding week in 2024, and 344,988 intermodal units, up 2.7%. The combined volume of 637,403 carloads and intermodal units represents a 1% decrease.
For the year to date, North American volume is up 6.8% compared to the first four weeks of 2024. In Canada, year-to-date volume is up 8.1%, while in Mexico, it is up 16.3% following a week that saw a 10.6% increase in carloads and a 27.5% jump in intermodal traffic.
