The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has adopted for second-quarter 2025 the rail cost adjustment factor (RCAF), which is defined as “an index formulated to represent changes in railroad costs incurred by the nation’s largest railroads over a specified period of time.”
U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 15, 2025 (Week 11), came in at 503,473 carloads and intermodal units, rising 6.2% from the same week last year, based on 226,027 carloads—up 3.1% from 2024—and intermodal volume of 277,446 containers and trailers—up 8.8%, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported March 19.
U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 8, 2025 (Week 10), came in at 497,412 carloads and intermodal units, rising 5.4% from the same week last year, based on 219,457 carloads—up 2.6% from 2024—and intermodal volume of 277,955 containers and trailers—up 7.7%, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported March 12.
Newly released 2024 data from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) confirms that “continued investment in innovation, infrastructure, and workforce expertise are making rail transportation even safer,” the Association of American Railroads (AAR)
For the first nine weeks of the year, ending March 1, 2025, North American carload and intermodal traffic increased 2.3% from the prior-year period, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported March 5. The United States saw a gain, while Canada and Mexico experienced losses.
Cargo theft cost Class I railroads more than $100 million in 2024, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR), which is calling for government support to combat it.
A new study by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) underscores the “substantial” economic impact of the rail transportation industry in the U.S. In 2023, the rail transportation sector contributed $233.4 billion in total economic output, supporting nearly 749,000 jobs across various industries.
The U.S. East and Gulf Coast port employers, represented by the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX), and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) union reached a tentative deal—just days before the new Jan. 15, 2025, contract
Total U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Feb. 22, came in at 458,513 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.1% from the same point last year, the Association of American Railroads reported on Feb. 26.
For the seven-week period ending Feb. 15, 2025, total U.S. rail traffic of 3,338,568 carloads and intermodal units was up 4.7% from same point last year, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). This is based on intermodal gains (up 9.3% to 1,885,295 units) compensating for carload losses (down 0.7% to 1,453,273 units).