U.S. freight traffic rises in week 42

U.S. freight railroads hauled 538,503 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending Oct. 24, up 7.8% compared with traffic from the same week in 2025, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads for the week totaled 234,826, up 3.6%, while weekly intermodal volume totaled 303,677 containers and trailers, up 11.3%.

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR each week posted gains. They included metallic ores and metals, up 11.6%, to 21,811; motor vehicles and parts, up 15.3%, to 16,788; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 15.4%, to 11,700.

The commodity groups that posted a decrease were farm products excluding grain and food, down 3.7%, to 17,655; and grain, down 1.4% to 22,710.

For the week, Canadian railroads reported 99,085 carloads, up 7.6%, and 75,316 intermodal units, up 5.5%. Mexican railroads posted 11,873 carloads, up 12.7%, and 14,291 intermodal units, up 33.4%.

For the first 42 weeks of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025:

• U.S. railroads posted 21,601,184 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.8%;
• Canadian railroads reported 6,925,159 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.5%; and
• Mexican railroads logged 1,041,418 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.2%.