North American Rail Traffic experienced a strong start to 2025, recording growth in overall activity. Gains in the U.S. and Canada offset minor declines in Mexico, marking an optimistic outlook. This was reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

North American Rail Traffic experienced a strong start to 2025, recording growth in overall activity
Union Pacific Photograph

U.S. and Canada Lead in North American Rail Traffic Growth

The first two weeks of January 2025 saw North American railroads collectively handle 1,236,879 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.5% from 2024. U.S. railroads moved 886,800 units, a 1.4% increase. Canadian railroads performed even better, with a 3.1% rise to 304,983 units. Mexican railroads faced a 6.4% decline, reporting 45,096 units.

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In the week ending January 11, 2025, U.S. Class I railroads carried 465,390 carloads and intermodal units, reflecting a 1.8% year-over-year rise. Intermodal traffic accounted for 265,879 units, surging 8.9%, offsetting a 6.4% drop in carload shipments. Canadian railroads recorded a 5.8% increase in carloads, moving 91,438 units, and an 11.2% growth in intermodal traffic, totaling 71,361 units.

Key Commodity Trends in North American Rail Traffic

Certain commodities contributed to the positive performance of North American Rail Traffic in early 2025. Grain shipments grew by 2,386 carloads, reaching 21,124 units. Farm products excluding grain, along with food, rose by 1,424 carloads to 17,442 units. Forest products also saw growth, adding 401 carloads to total 8,588 units.

However, declines were observed in key categories. Coal shipments fell by 6,241 carloads to 52,232, and motor vehicles dropped by 3,886 carloads to 9,788 units. Nonmetallic minerals declined by 3,211 carloads, settling at 22,229 units. Despite these challenges, intermodal traffic proved resilient, growing across the board and driving overall gains.

Consistent Growth in Intermodal Traffic Supports Optimism

For the first two weeks of 2025, North American railroads reported a total volume of 654,111 carloads and intermodal units, marking a 3.1% increase from 2024. Intermodal shipments climbed by 8.9% to 348,125 units, showcasing the strength of containerized freight. Carload traffic dipped slightly, down 2.7% to 305,986 units.

Canadian railroads continue to lead, with significant gains in intermodal shipments and a steady rise in carload traffic. Mexico’s slight decline underscores the varied performance across North America, but its role remains crucial to the continent’s overall freight movement.

North American Rail Traffic is positioned to remain a critical component of freight transport in 2025, driven by intermodal growth and resilience in key sectors.

Source: www.railwayage.com

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