U.S. freight railroads report increased traffic in week 34

U.S. freight railroads hauled 543,212 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending Aug. 29, up 4.1% compared with traffic from the same week in 2025, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads for the week totaled 240,021, up 2.2%, while weekly intermodal volume totaled 303,191 containers and trailers, up 5.7%.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR each week posted gains. They included metallic ores and metals, up 11% to 24,801; grain, up 8.3% to 21,359; and nonmetallic minerals, up 3.7% to 33,812.

The commodity groups that posted decreases in carloads were chemicals, down 3.8%, to 33,640; motor vehicles and parts, down 6% to 16,443; and miscellaneous carloads, down 6.3% to 8,954.

For the week, Canadian railroads reported 93,490 carloads, up 3.2%, and 77,356 intermodal units, up 7.7%. Mexican railroads posted 12,680 carloads, down 15.3%, and 14,870 intermodal units, up 3%.

For the first 34 weeks of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025:

• U.S. railroads posted 17,357,108 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3%;
• Canadian railroads reported 5,592,195 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.3%; and
• Mexican railroads logged 863,637 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.9%.