U.S. rail carload and intermodal volumes see annual declines, for week ending September 6, reports AAR
Summary
United States rail carload and intermodal volumes for the week ending 6 September 2025 fell year‑on‑year, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data. Rail carloads totalled 214,383, down 3.5% from the same week last year; intermodal containers and trailers reached 253,497 units, a 1.4% annual decline. AAR noted the timing of the Labour Day holiday likely contributed to the weekly drop.
Despite the weekly declines, year‑to‑date figures through 36 weeks show growth: carloads are up 2.4% at 7,963,526 and intermodal units are up 4.0% at 9,724,964.
Key Points
- Weekly rail carloads: 214,383 — down 3.5% year‑on‑year.
- Weekly intermodal units: 253,497 — down 1.4% year‑on‑year.
- Year‑to‑date (first 36 weeks) carloads: 7,963,526 — up 2.4%.
- Year‑to‑date intermodal units: 9,724,964 — up 4.0%.
- Three carload commodity groups saw gains: miscellaneous (+1,132 to 8,512), motor vehicles and parts (+973 to 14,633), and forest products (+286 to 7,801).
- Notable declines by commodity: chemicals (‑2,875 to 29,802), coal (‑2,824 to 60,927), and grain (‑1,570 to 18,067).
- AAR flagged the timing of the Labour Day holiday as a likely factor in the weekly declines.
Author
Punchy: Quick data brief from LM Staff — straight to the numbers so you can decide fast whether to dig deeper.
Why should I read this?
Briefly — if you work in freight, logistics or supply chain planning, this is the weekly snapshot that tells you whether rail flows are easing or tightening. Labour Day skews the week, but the year‑to‑date gains mean the broader picture isn’t all downhill. Worth a two‑minute skim so you’re not caught off guard.
Context and Relevance
The weekly dip is largely seasonal and holiday‑related, but the year‑to‑date increases in both carloads and intermodal units show underlying strength in rail traffic through 36 weeks of 2025. Shippers and carriers should note the commodity‑level shifts — declines in chemicals, coal and grain could affect routing, equipment demand and pricing, while gains in motor vehicles and miscellaneous loads hint at pockets of stronger activity.
For planners, this means: watch short‑term volatility around holiday weeks, but plan capacity and contracting decisions against the stronger year‑to‑date trends.
