The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 5, 2026. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 533,545 carloads and intermodal units, up 13.8 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending September 5 were 234,397 carloads, up 8.9 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 299,148 containers and trailers, up 18.0 percent compared to 2025.

Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included metallic ores and metals, up 4,859 carloads, to 23,122; grain, up 4,373 carloads, to 22,509; and chemicals, up 3,848 carloads, to 33,653. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2025: coal, down 3,547 carloads, to 58,037.

For the first 35 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,986,328 carloads, up 2.8 percent from the same point last year; and 9,904,325 intermodal units, up 4.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 35 weeks of 2026 was 17,890,653 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.6 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending September 5, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 341,432 carloads, up 8.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 386,079 intermodal units, up 15.9 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 727,511 carloads and intermodal units, up 12.4 percent. North American rail volume for the first 35 weeks of 2026 was 24,540,451 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 94,927 carloads for the week, up 10.4 percent, and 72,202 intermodal units, up 8.9 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 35 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,759,324 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.5 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 12,108 carloads for the week, down 7.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,729 intermodal units, up 10.1 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 35 weeks of 2026 was 890,474 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.7 percent from the same point last year.

-via Press Release