After nearly a decade marked by service volatility, US Class I railroads are closing 2025 with one of their strongest performance years in recent memory. For logistics teams planning 2026 transportation strategies, the rail network’s renewed consistency is not just good news — it signals a shift in how intermodal can be leveraged for cost, sustainability, and reliability gains.
This article breaks down the key improvements, what’s driving them, and how shippers can use the momentum to strengthen multimodal planning in 2026.
Public rail metrics show that US Class I carriers have delivered consistent, reliable service across 2025, supported by improvements in:
According to data from the Association of American Railroads, intermodal train speeds surpassed year-ago levels for 30consecutive weeks starting in early May — a clear indicator of network stability.
CSX CEO Mike Cory described 2025 performance as “impeccable,” noting record-setting dwell times, faster turns, and strong resiliency without needing additional assets.
Across all Class I carriers, an average of just 10intermodal trains per day were held because of crew or locomotive issues — less than half the combined average of 2018,2019, 2023, and 2024.
20251215-Rail service shakes of…
This is a significant reversal from:
For shippers who pivoted away from rail during those years, thenew performance trajectory offers a reason to reconsider intermodal as a resilient long-term strategy.
Union Pacific (UP) has been the only Class I railroad to maintain a positive Intermodal Service Z-Score every single week in2025 — meaning it consistently exceeded its own historical averages for train speeds, trains held, and idle railcars.
UP achieved this despite:
The growth in Southwest–PNW flows is especially notable since UP is the only railroad with track directly connecting California to Washington state.
CSX and Norfolk Southern (NS) recorded solid gains this year thanks to strong regional demand. According to IANA data:
IMCs also echoed the positive shift. J.B. Hunt, for example, posted a 6% increase in East Coast loads despite a softer West Coast market in Q3 — a strong sign of competitive rail pricing and performance on shorter-haul regional lanes.
Executives described 2025 service as “as good as we’ve ever provided,” reinforcing confidence in rail as a trucking alternative even when rate gaps are narrow.
With a year of strong performance — and no major network breakdowns — intermodal can be repositioned as a core rather than contingency mode for many supply chains.
Railroads are seeing strong “over-the-road conversion,” especially in domestic lanes where trucking remains costly and capacity fluctuates.
Higher speeds, fewer holds, and steadier terminal performance mean shippers can plan with more confidence around:
At Worldtop & Meta, our global network and predictive serviceframework turn rail performance insights into practical routingstrategies.
We help shippers:
As rail reliability improves, the shippers who act earlywill secure better capacity, pricing, and routing stabilitythroughout 2026.
