US freight-rail traffic rises 2.5% in Week 29

U.S. freight railroads hauled 527,162 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending July 29, up 2.5% compared with traffic from the same week in 2025, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads for the week totaled 234,100 up 1.4%, while weekly intermodal volume totaled 293,062 containers and trailers, up 3.5%.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR each week posted traffic increases. They included metallic ores and minerals, up 9.3% to 23,370; petroleum and petroleum products, up 11.8%, to 11,522; and farm products (except grain) and food, up 7%, to 17,091. 

Commodity groups that posted decreases in carloads included miscellaneous carloads, down 11% to 8,312; coal, down 1.6% to 61,380; and chemicals, down 0.6%, to 33,112.

Canadian railroads reported 92,588 carloads for the week, up 7.3%, and 67,037 intermodal units, down 8.3%. Mexican railroads posted 13,157 carloads, up 28.3%, and 14,547 intermodal units, up 64.5%.

For the first 29 weeks of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025:

• U.S. railroads posted 14,703,301 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3%
• Canadian railroads reported 4,759,454 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.5%
• Mexican railroads logged 755,357 carloads and intermodal units, up 11.4%.