BAF NEWS

By the numbers: U.S. rail traffic Nov 22 2025

U.S. rail traffic Nov 22 2025 totaled 516,110 units. That was down 0.9% year over year, according to the aar weekly rail report from the Association of American Railroads and corroborating trade coverage.

Motor vehicles and parts carloads were 15,734, off 5.1% on the week. Intermodal units were 281,518, down 3.2%, while overall carloads rose 2.0% year over year. These figures capture week 47 2025 rail traffic and frame the latest inflection for automotive-linked freight.

Despite the weekly dip, cumulative 2025 volume remains higher than last year. Through 47 weeks, total traffic reached 23,225,929 units, up 2.0% versus 2024, per the same aar weekly rail report.

Intermodal signals in U.S. rail traffic Nov 22 2025

The week’s weakness was concentrated in intermodal. The decline in us intermodal volume 2025 contrasts with gains in carloads and suggests softer containerized flows even as bulk and industrial loads improved.

Within U.S. rail traffic Nov 22 2025, the mix matters for autos. Motor vehicles and parts carloads softened, while intermodal slippage hints at timing and channel effects for finished vehicles and components. In the broader European context, ocean carriers’ safety and decarbonization moves aim to stabilize handoffs between ports, vessels, and rail.

Timeline: key logistics updates (Nov 21–28, 2025)

• Nov 21, K Line conducted a large-scale moored-vessel firefighting drill in Yokohama using the car carrier TETHYS HIGHWAY. More than 100 personnel participated, including drone-based fire-source identification and water-spraying from fire boats.
• Nov 26, The AAR released week 47 2025 rail traffic results, noting 516,110 total units, intermodal at 281,518, and motor vehicles and parts carloads at 15,734.
• Nov 26, NYK issued the English 2025 integrated report, highlighting progress under “Sail Green, Drive Transformations 2026” and an upwardly revised fiscal 2030 profit outlook.
• Nov 28, K Line detailed the drill publicly and said similar exercises will continue in Japan and overseas.

K Line’s moored car carrier firefighting drill

K Line and the Yokohama City Fire Bureau ran what the company describes as Japan’s first drill simulating a fire on a moored vessel. The exercise used the car carrier TETHYS HIGHWAY and brought together more than 100 participants.

Teams practiced drone-based fire-source identification and water-spraying from elevated positions and fire boats. They confirmed evacuation routes and conducted rescue training, and K Line plans to continue such drills domestically and abroad.

NYK 2025 report: decarbonization and DX focus

NYK issued the English 2025 NYK Report on Nov 26. The nyk 2025 report details progress under its medium-term plan, “Sail Green, Drive Transformations 2026,” and emphasizes decarbonization and digital transformation across logistics.

According to available reports, the company cites improved profit quality and an upward revision to its fiscal 2030 profit outlook. The nyk 2025 report signals sustained investment in green corridors and digital tools that can reshape port-rail coordination.

Implications for auto logistics and safety

Taken together, the U.S. rail data and maritime updates point to a cautious, adaptive auto chain. The signal is operational prudence rather than retreat.

Ripple effects:

• If X holds, Y follows, If the intermodal softness holds, lower terminal dwell follows; but productivity must keep pace. Trends in us intermodal volume 2025 will guide equipment allocation.
• If vessel safety drills scale, more predictable sailings follow. That can support smoother inland transfers and steady motor vehicles and parts carloads.
• If decarbonization and digital upgrades persist, greener corridors follow. Routing choices could shift as carriers and shippers align incentives.

Therefore, the week 47 2025 rail traffic readout should be viewed alongside ocean-side safety and strategy. Consequently, the cross-modal picture for autos hinges on both rail mix and maritime risk management.

What’s next

Watch the next aar weekly rail report to see whether intermodal stabilizes and whether autos rebalance. Also track K Line’s planned continuation of drills and monitor NYK’s progress against the 2026 plan and its fiscal 2030 profit targets in the nyk 2025 report.

Finally, connect the arc from U.S. rail traffic Nov 22 2025 to December updates. If carloads stay firm while intermodal lags, network planning will need to flex across ports, roads, and rail.