Weekly US rail traffic for the week ending 18 January 2025

Total carloads for the week ending January 18 were 216 457 carloads, up 25.1% compared with the same week in 2024, while US weekly intermodal volume was 283 703 containers and trailers, up 26.5% compared to 2024. All of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2024. They included coal, up 11 698 carloads, to 59 223; chemicals, up 6334 carloads, to 34 150; and non-metallic minerals, up 6001 carloads, to 24 622.

For the first three weeks of 2025, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 614 468 carloads, up 3.4% from the same point last year; and 772 492 intermodal units, up 14.0% from last year. Total combined US traffic for the first three weeks of 2025 was 1 386 960 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 9.1% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending 18 January 2025, on 9 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 323 633 carloads, up 22.9% compared with the same week last year, and 368 180 intermodal units, up 27.0% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 691 813 carloads and intermodal units, up 25.1%. North American rail volume for the first three weeks of 2025 was 1 928 692 carloads and intermodal units, up 8.9% compared with 2024.

Canadian railroads reported 92 085 carloads for the week, up 22.7%, and 73 196 intermodal units, up 34.9% compared with the same week in 2024. For the first three weeks of 2025, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 470 264 carloads, containers and trailers, up 10.6%.

Mexican railroads reported 15 091 carloads for the week, down 0.8% compared with the same week last year, and 11 281 intermodal units, down 1.1%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first three weeks of 2025 was 71 468 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 4.4% from the same point last year.