The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending April 25, 2026.
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 511,616 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.9 percent compared with the same week last year.
Total carloads for the week ending April 25 were 229,828 carloads, down 1.5 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 281,788 containers and trailers, up 4.9 percent compared to 2025.
Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included motor vehicles and parts, up 1,050 carloads, to 16,675; metallic ores and metals, up 935 carloads, to 21,223; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 854 carloads, to 17,649. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 included coal, down 4,642 carloads, to 55,082; chemicals, down 1,080 carloads, to 34,093; and miscellaneous carloads, down 916 carloads, to 8,900.
For the first 16 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,602,594 carloads, up 3.5 percent from the same point last year; and 4,414,204 intermodal units, up 0.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 16 weeks of 2026 was 8,016,798 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.7 percent compared to last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending April 25, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 338,280 carloads, down 0.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 369,176 intermodal units, up 2.6 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 707,456 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.0 percent. North American rail volume for the first 16 weeks of 2026 was 11,043,603 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.9 percent compared with 2025.
Canadian railroads reported 94,289 carloads for the week, up 0.1 percent, and 72,740 intermodal units, down 9.4 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 16 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,599,364 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.4 percent.
Mexican railroads reported 14,163 carloads for the week, up 6.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,648 intermodal units, up 37.0 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 16 weeks of 2026 was 427,441 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 16.6 percent from the same point last year.
