US rail freight still ahead of 2024 levels

Weekly U.S. rail volume remains ahead of 2024 levels — at least for now.

Amid reports that import traffic from China is about to drop dramatically, with an almost-certain impact on intermodal volume, both carload and intermodal traffic remained above previous-year levels for the week ending April 26, 2025.Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show that U.S.



traffic for the week was 502,105 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.5% from the same week in 2024. That includes 233,411 carloads, up 9% from the corresponding week a year ago, and 268,694 containers and trailers, up 2.

6%.Through 17 weeks of 2025, the total volume of 8,306,914 carloads and intermodal units represents a 5% increase over the same period in 2024. That includes a 1.

5% rise in carloads and an 8% increase in intermodal units. window.googletag = window.

googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.

defineSlot('/21776187881/FW-Responsive-Main_Content-Slot1', [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], 'div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).

addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().

enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.

enableServices(); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.

display('div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'); }); North American figures for the week, from nine reporting U.S, Canadian, and Mexican railroads, total 703,626 carloads and intermodal units, a 4.3% increase over the same week in 2024.

That includes 343,175 carloads, up 5.9%, and 360,451 intermodal units, up 2.5%.

Year-to-date traffic for North America is 11,440,654 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.2% increase over the first 17 weeks of 2024. That includes a gain of 0.

2% in Canada and a 10.1% decline in Mexico.Subscribe to FreightWaves’ Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox.

window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.

cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot2', [[468, 60], [728, 90], [300, 100], [320, 50]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767472470-0').

defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.

pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.

pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); googletag.

cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1665767472470-0'); }); Related coverage:Class I railroads keep optimistic outlooks despite trade uncertaintyCN’s first-quarter earnings grow despite impact of severe weather window.

googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.

push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot3', [[728, 90], [468, 60], [320, 50], [300, 100]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.

banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.

pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().

collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); googletag.cmd.

push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0'); }); Union Pacific heritage locomotive honors Abraham LincolnCPKC’s first-quarter profits rise despite trade warThe post US rail freight still ahead of 2024 levels appeared first on FreightWaves..