U.S. freight-rail traffic rises 7% in Week 24

U.S. freight railroads hauled 521,998 carloads and intermodal units during the week ending June 20, up 7.1% compared with traffic from the same week in 2025, according to Association of American Railroads data.

Carloads for the week totaled 233,259 up 1.6%, while weekly intermodal volume totaled 288,739 containers and trailers, up 12.1%.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups tracked by the AAR each week posted increases in traffic. Gainers included metallic ores and metals, up 10.3% to 24,579; grain, up 8.2% to 22,993; and nonmetallic minerals, up 4.2% to 32,793.

The commodity groups that logged a decrease in carloads were coal, down 6% to 55,786; miscellaneous carloads, down 12.6% to 9,376; and motor vehicles and parts, down 1.2% to 16,074.

Canadian railroads reported 90,469 carloads for the week, up 1%, and 73,174 intermodal units, down 3.1%. Mexican railroads posted 14,113 carloads, down 10.1%, and 14,814 intermodal units, up 24%.

For the first 24 weeks of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025:

• U.S. railroads posted 12,141,119 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.1%
• Canadian railroads reported 3,951,957 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.6%
• Mexican railroads logged 615,343 carloads and intermodal units, up 8%.