The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 18, 2026.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 523,900 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.4 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending July 18 were 226,883 carloads, down 1.2 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 297,017 containers and trailers, up 7.2 percent compared to 2025.
Six of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included metallic ores and metals, up 1,958 carloads, to 23,183; nonmetallic minerals, up 683 carloads, to 33,068; and grain, up 639 carloads, to 22,179. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 included coal, down 5,894 carloads, to 56,261; motor vehicles and parts, down 928 carloads, to 12,581; and petroleum and petroleum products, down 224 carloads, to 10,924.
For the first 28 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,344,225 carloads, up 2.9 percent from the same point last year; and 7,831,914 intermodal units, up 3.8 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 28 weeks of 2026 was 14,176,139 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.4 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending July 18, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 328,259 carloads, up 0.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 382,501 intermodal units, up 6.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 710,760 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.6 percent. North American rail volume for the first 28 weeks of 2026 was 19,503,621 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9 percent compared with 2025.
Canadian railroads reported 88,318 carloads for the week, up 3.8 percent, and 71,076 intermodal units, down 3.2 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 28 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,599,829 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.6 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 13,058 carloads for the week, up 12.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,408 intermodal units, up 53.0 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 28 weeks of 2026 was 727,653 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 10.5 percent from the same point last year.
