U.S. freight railroads post slight traffic increase for Week 27

U.S. freight railroads hauled 503,525 carloads and intermodal units in the week ending July 11, a 1.5% increase compared with traffic in the same week in 2025, according to Association of American Railroads data. 

Total carloads slumped 0.4% to 233,040, while intermodal volume increased 3% to 280,485 containers and trailers. 

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by AAR posted an increase during the week. They included metallic ores and metals, up 8% to 21,857 carloads; nonmetallic minerals, up 4% to 32,823; and farm products excluding grain, and food, up 4.8% to 18,093. 

Two commodity groups posted a decrease: coal, down 8.1% to 53,527, and grain, down 5.3% to 21,446 carloads. 

Meanwhile, Canadian railroads posted 89,784 carloads for the week, up 1.9%, and 73,506 intermodal units, down 1.4%. Mexican railroads carried 14,182 carloads, up 24.6%, and 14,082 intermodal units, up 55.4%. 

For the first 27 weeks of 2026 compared with traffic in the same period in 2025: 

• U.S. railroads hauled 13,652,239 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.4% 
• Canadian railroads logged 4,440,435 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.6% 
• Mexican railroads posted 700,187 carloads and intermodal units, up 9.8%