U.S. rail traffic rises in week 31

U.S. freight railroads hauled 526,624 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending Aug. 8, up 3% compared with traffic from the same week in 2025, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads for the week totaled 231,268, up 1.8%, while weekly intermodal volume totaled 295,356 containers and trailers, up 4.1%.

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR each week posted gains. They included grain, up 10.8% to 21,613; metallic ores and minerals, up 8% to 22,955; and farm products (except grain) and food, up 10.4% to 17,849.

The commodity groups that posted decreases in carloads were coal, down 6.1% to 57,976, and motor vehicles and parts, down 5.7% to 15,037.

For the week, Canadian railroads reported 92,100 carloads, up 8.6%, and 73,476 intermodal units, down 1.3%. Mexican railroads posted 13,561 carloads, up 10.3%, and 14,029 intermodal units, up 13%.

For the first 30 weeks of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025:

• U.S. railroads posted 15,756,335 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3%;
• Canadian railroads reported 5,087,992 carloads and intermodal units, down 1.3%; and
• Mexican railroads logged 806,974 carloads and intermodal units, up 11.5%.