WASHINGTON — Carload traffic provided most of the growth as U.S. weekly rail traffic remained above 2024 levels for the week ending May 17.
Figures from the Association of American Railroads show traffic for the week totaled 490,775 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.4% increase over the same week a year ago. That figure included 229,226 carloads, up 7.1% over the corresponding week in 2024, and 261,549 containers and trailers, a 0.3% increase.
Through 20 weeks, U.S. volume of 9,791,934 carloads and intermodal units represents a 5.1% over the same period in 2024. That includes 4,354,834 carloads, up 2.2%, and 5,437,091 intermodal units, up 7.5%.
North American traffic for the week, as reported by nine U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, was 687,953 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.8% from the same week in 2024. That includes 338,480 carloads, up 5.9%, and 349,473 intermodal units, up 1.9%.
The year-to-date North American volume is 13,497,647 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3% from the first 20 weeks of 2024. That includes 3,247,385 carloads and intermodal units in Canada, a gain of 0.6%, and 458,328 carloads and intermodal units in Mexico, a decline of 11.2%.
