by Calculated Danger on 10/05/2025 08:21:00 AM
From the Affiliation of American Railroads (AAR) AAR Information Heart. Graph and excerpts reprinted with permission.
The AAR Freight Rail Index
(FRI), combines seasonally adjusted rail intermodal
shipments plus carloads excluding coal and grain.
The index fell 0.8% in September 2025 from August
2025, its fifth decline prior to now six months. Nonetheless, the
index is only one.0% beneath its degree from a 12 months earlier,
indicating that current weak point displays a gradual
adjustment relatively than a pointy downturn.
emphasis added
Rail visitors volumes proceed to regulate to evolving
market circumstances. In September 2025, complete U.S. rail
carloads fell 1.2% year-over-year, with 12 of the 20
main carload classes tracked by the AAR posting
declines.
…
U.S. intermodal rail shipments, that are carefully tied to client demand and worldwide commerce, fell 1.3% in
September 2025 from September 2024.
