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U.S. Intermodal Rail Volume Surges 10% as Network Congestion Slows Service

U.S. intermodal rail volume climbed 10% last week, continuing strong growth. However, the expansion has strained major railroads' networks, with some carriers reporting train speeds at 10-20 month lows. Crew staffing constraints and insufficient fleet resources are hampering railroads' ability to handle the unexpected demand surge. Canadian intermodal volumes declined during the same period, highlighting divergent North American rail performance. Industry observers attribute U.S. growth primarily to commodity segment strength, though sustained expansion will require railroads to address operational bottlenecks.