Carload and intermodal traffic posted gains as weekly U.S. rail traffic remains ahead of 2024 levels, according to the Association of American Railroads.
Statistics for the week ending May 10 show overall U.S. volume of 495,552 carloads and intermodal units, a 5.7% increase over the same week a year earlier. That includes 222,238 carloads, a 6.2% increase over the corresponding week in 2024, and 273,314 containers and trailers, up 5.4%.
Weekly gainers were led by coal, up 21%, and grain, up 20%.
Through 19 weeks, the cumulative volume of 9,301,159 carloads and intermodal units is running 5.2% ahead of the same period in 2024. That figure includes 4,125,617 carloads, up 2% from the first 19 weeks of 2024, and 5,175,542 intermodal units, up 7.9%.
Petroleum, metals and nonmetallic minerals were weaker year on year, which may reflect a tempered economic outlook for development and manufacturing.
North American volume for the week, from nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads, included 695,745 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 5.4%. Included in that total are 332,095 carloads, up 4.9% over the same week a year ago, and 363,279 intermodal units, up 5.9%.
The 19-week North American total of 12,833,256 carloads and intermodal units is an increase of 3.5% over the same period in 2024. That includes 3,077,297 carloads and intermodal units in Canada, a gain of 0.4%, and 454,800 carloads and intermodal units in Mexico, a drop of 7.9%.
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