The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 11, 2026.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 503,525 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.5 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending July 11 were 223,040 carloads, down 0.4 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 280,485 containers and trailers, up 3.0 percent compared to 2025.
Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included metallic ores and metals, up 1,627 carloads, to 21,857; nonmetallic minerals, up 1,263 carloads, to 32,823; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 835 carloads, to 18,093. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 were coal, down 4,713 carloads, to 53,527; and grain, down 1,197 carloads, to 21,446.
For the first 27 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,117,342 carloads, up 3.1 percent from the same point last year; and 7,534,897 intermodal units, up 3.6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 27 weeks of 2026 was 13,652,239 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.4 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending July 11, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 327,006 carloads, up 1.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 368,073 intermodal units, up 3.4 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 695,079 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first 27 weeks of 2026 was 18,792,861 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9 percent compared with 2025.
Canadian railroads reported 89,784 carloads for the week, up 1.9 percent, and 73,506 intermodal units, down 1.4 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 27 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,440,435 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.6 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 14,182 carloads for the week, up 24.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,082 intermodal units, up 55.4 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 27 weeks of 2026 was 700,187 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 9.8 percent from the same point last year.
