U.S. weekly rail traffic again beats 2025 levels

Grain, up 16.7%, has been a solid performer most of this year, while chemicals, better by 6%, are usually an indicator of downstream industrial output.

Through 18 weeks of 2026, total combined traffic is 9,049,326 carloads and intermodal units, a gain of 1.9% from the same period in 2025. The overall figure includes 4,067,235 carloads, up 3.6%, and 4,982,091 intermodal units, up 0.6%.

North American figures for the week, from nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, include 336,095 carloads, an increase of 2% from the corresponding week a year ago, and 371,416 intermodal units, a gain of 2.3%. The total figure of 707,511 carloads and intermodal units is a gain of 2.1%. For the year to date, North American railroads report handling 12,468,690 carloads and intermodal units, a 2% increase over the first 18 weeks of 2025.

Canadian traffic for the week included 92,948 carloads, down 1.4% from the same week a year ago, and 874,677 intermodal units, down 6.4%. The year-to-date figure of 2,940,777 carloads and intermodal units is a 0.2% increase over the first 18 weeks of 2025.

In Mexico, railroads reported 13,555 carloads for the week, up 2.8% from the corresponding week in 2025, and 12,576 intermodal units, up 27%. The cumulative volume of 478,587 carloads and intermodal units is a 16.3% gain from the same period in 2025.

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