US freight-rail traffic rises in Week 32

U.S. freight railroads hauled 525,099 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending Aug. 15, up 2.4% compared with traffic from the same week in 2025, according to Association of American Railroads data. 

Carloads for the week totaled 233,261, up 1.9%, while weekly intermodal volume totaled 291,838 containers and trailers, up 2.7%. 

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR each week posted gains. They included metallic ores and metals, up 19.2% to 23,322; nonmetallic minerals, up 6.9% to 33,420; and miscellaneous carloads, up 17.9% to 9,279. 

The commodity groups that posted decreases in carloads were coal, down 5.7% to 60,219, and motor vehicles and parts, down 13.2% to 14,685. 

For the week, Canadian railroads reported 89,096 carloads, up 11.6%, and 76,979 intermodal units, up 7.9%. Mexican railroads posted 13,563 carloads, up 12.2%, and 15,087 intermodal units, up 53%. 

For the first 32 weeks of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025:

• U.S. railroads posted 16,281,434 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3%;
• Canadian railroads reported 5,254,067 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.9%; and
• Mexican railroads logged 807,659 carloads and intermodal units, up 8.3%.