The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 4, 2026.
For this week, total U.S. rail traffic was 482,121 carloads and intermodal units, up 8.7 percent from the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending July 4 were 212,691, up 3.7 percent from the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 269,430 containers and trailers, up 12.9 percent from 2025.
Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included grain, up 2,490 carloads, to 21,622; metallic ores and metals, up 2,134 carloads, to 22,262; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 1,961 carloads, to 17,346. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2025: coal, down 4,197 carloads, to 48,841.
For the first 26 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,894,302 carloads, up 3.2 percent from the same point last year; and 7,254,412 intermodal units, up 3.6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 26 weeks of 2026 was 13,148,714 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.4 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending July 4, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 316,737 carloads, up 6.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 354,603 intermodal units, up 10.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 671,340 carloads and intermodal units, up 8.4 percent. North American rail volume for the first 26 weeks of 2026 totaled 18,099,612 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9 percent from 2025.
Canadian railroads reported 88,601 carloads for the week, up 8.1 percent, and 70,562 intermodal units, down 4.1 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 26 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,277,145 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.6 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 15,445 carloads for the week, up 42.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,611 intermodal units, up 56.0 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 26 weeks of 2026 was 673,753 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 9.2 percent from the same point last year.
