Intermodal traffic edge ahead in a down week for commodity freight on U.S. railroads, the Association of American Railroads said.
Total U.S. weekly rail traffic for the week ending March 28 was 515,921 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.5% from the same week a year ago.
Carload freight totaled 233,833 units, down 0.8%, while intermodal volume came to 282,088 containers and trailers, better by 1.6% y/y.
Six of 10 carload commodity categories gained led by petroleum, 11.2%; chemicals, 5.9%; and non-categorized freight, 7%.
Coal led decliners at 8.3% followed by nonmetallic minerals such as sand and stone, 3.8%; and metallic ores and minerals typically used in steel production, 2% lower y/y.
Through the first 12 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,684,108 carloads, ahead 4.2%, and 3,311,403 intermodal units, a decrease of 0.2% percent from 2025. Total combined traffic reached 5,995,511 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.7%
North American weekly volume on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads was 342,214 carloads, lower by 2.1%, and 371,548 intermodal units, up 0.8% y/y. Total combined weekly traffic slipped 0.6% to 713,762 carloads and intermodal units. Volume for the first 12 weeks of 2026 was 8,245,424 carloads and intermodal units, a narrow 1.8% gain from 2025.
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Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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