The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 8, 2026.  For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 526,624 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.0 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending August 8 were 231,268 carloads, up 1.8 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 295,356 containers and trailers, up 4.1 percent compared to 2025.

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included grain, up 2,113 carloads, to 21,613; metallic ores and metals, up 1,710 carloads, to 22,955; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 1,683 carloads, to 17,849. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 were coal, down 3,766 carloads, to 57,976; and motor vehicles and parts, down 904 carloads, to 15,037.

For the first 31 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,042,764 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year; and 8,713,571 intermodal units, up 3.8 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 31 weeks of 2026 was 15,756,335 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.3 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending August 8, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 336,929 carloads, up 3.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 382,861 intermodal units, up 3.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 719,790 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.6 percent. North American rail volume for the first 31 weeks of 2026 was 21,651,301 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.0 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 92,100 carloads for the week, up 8.6 percent, and 73,476 intermodal units, down 1.3 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 31 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,087,992 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.7 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,561 carloads for the week, up 10.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,029 intermodal units, up 13.0 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 31 weeks of 2026 was 806,974 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 11.5 percent from the same point last year.

-via Press Release