The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 29, 2026. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 543,212 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.1 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending August 29 were 240,021 carloads, up 2.2 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 303,191 containers and trailers, up 5.7 percent compared to 2025.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included metallic ores and metals, up 2,449 carloads, to 24,801; grain, up 1,644 carloads, to 21,359; and nonmetallic minerals, up 1,219 carloads, to 33,812. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 were chemicals, down 1,322 carloads, to 33,640; motor vehicles and parts, down 1,049 carloads, to 16,443; and miscellaneous carloads, down 597 carloads, to 8,954.

For the first 34 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,751,931 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year; and 9,605,177 intermodal units, up 3.9 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 34 weeks of 2026 was 17,357,108 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.3 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending August 29, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 346,191 carloads, up 1.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 395,417 intermodal units, up 6.0 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 741,608 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.9 percent. North American rail volume for the first 34 weeks of 2026 was 23,812,940 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.0 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 93,490 carloads for the week, up 3.2 percent, and 77,356 intermodal units, up 7.7 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 34 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,592,195 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.3 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 12,680 carloads for the week, down 15.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,870 intermodal units, up 3.0 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 34 weeks of 2026 was 863,637 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.9 percent from the same point last year.

-via Press Release