Weekly US rail traffic back ahead of 2024 levels

WASHINGTON — After a one-week downturn, U.S. weekly rail traffic has rebounded into positive territory.

According to the Association of American Railroads, traffic for the week ending Feb. 1 included 513,622 carloads and intermodal units, a 4.5% increase from the same week in 2024. That gain followed a 2.5% decline a week earlier.

The overall figure included 222,071 carloads, down 0.1% from the corresponding week in 2024, and 291,551 containers and trailers, up 8.2%.

Overall volume, through five weeks of 2025, shows carload traffic up 0.2% from the same period a year ago, while intermodal volume is up 10.3%. The combined volume shows a 5.6% increase from the first five weeks of 2024.

North American volume for the week, from nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, includes 325,668 carloads, down 0.4% from the same week in 2024, and 375,743 intermodal units, up 6.8%. The overall volume, 700,411 carloads and intermodal units, represents a 3.3% increase from the fifth week of 2024.

Year-to-date volume for North America is up 6.1% from the first five weeks of 2024. That includes a 5.9% increase in Canada and a 16% increase in Mexico.

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