Freight on U.S. railroads totaled 508,303 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.5% for the week ending April 18, and pushing year-to-date traffic narrowly ahead of 2025 levels.
Total carloads came 230,749, up 3%, while intermodal volume was 277,554 containers and trailers, up 2.2% percent compared to the same week in 2025.
Eight of 10 carload commodity groups gained, posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. Grain led gainers, up 22.9%, while petroleum and petroleum products were ahead 15.5% as the Iran war whipsawed global prices.
Miscellaneous carloads dropped 10.1%, and coal fell 4.7%.
For the first 15 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,372,766 carloads, better by 3.9%, and 4,132,416 intermodal units, a decline of 0.1% y/y. Total combined traffic was 7,505,182 carloads and intermodal units, ahead by 1.6%.
Weekly North American volume on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 339,795 carloads, up 4.7% from a year ago, and 364,495 intermodal units, an improvement of 2.9%. Total combined traffic was 704,290 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.8 percent. Year-to-date volume was 10,336,147 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.9% from 2025.
Subscribe to FreightWaves’ Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox.
Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
Related coverage:
CSX curtails operations at its major yard in Chicago
Application process opens for federal CRISI rail grants
Commodities outrun intermodal in latest rail freight data
Shipper groups ask STB to make key UP-NS merger agreement documents public
Brokerage Compliance Symposium
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
F3 Awards Dinner
The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
F3: Future of Freight Festival
Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowThe night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowIndustry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now