Weekly commodity rail freight finished higher year-to-date on U.S. railroads even as weaker intermodal offset volume improvements.
Total U.S. rail traffic was 501,328 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending April 4, up just 0.1% from the same week a year ago, according to data from the Association of American Railroads.
Carloads totaled 229,243 units, up 1% y/y, while intermodal volume of 272,085 containers and trailers slid 0.6% percent compared to 2025.
Six of 10 carload commodity groups were markedly better y/y. Petroleum and petroleum products led all weekly gainers, up 13.3%; followed by farm products excluding grain and food, 7.6%, and grain, 7.6%.
Weekly declines were seen in metallic ores and metals, 5.4%, and coal, 4.2%.
Year to date, grain led all gainers, up 16.9%, followed by petroleum and petroleum products, 7.7%, and chemicals, 3.8%.
Grain shipments improved even as exports fell from the previous week. Corn volume was down about 7.6% week over week, but still within analyst expectations, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Soybeans dropped sharply, down about 49.2% and below forecasts. Wheat fell about 17.1%, also a bit below expectations.
For the first 13 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,913,351 carloads, up 3.9%, and 3,583,488 intermodal units, down 0.2% from a year ago. Total combined traffic was 6,496,839 carloads and intermodal units, better by 1.6% y/y.
North American rail volume for the week ending April 4 on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 334,152 carloads, a gain of 2.1% compared with the year-ago week, and 355,083 intermodal units, ahead 0.6%. Total combined weekly was 689,235 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.3%. Volume was 8,934,659 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8% from 2025.
Subscribe to FreightWaves’ Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox.
Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
Related coverage:
Norfolk Southern awarded control of disputed eastern port rail line
Best month in years marks broad US rail recovery
Maryland Senate expects to pass two-person train crew bill
APM Terminals wraps up $73M rail expansion at Port of Los Angeles
Freight Fraud Symposium
Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.
Supply Chain AI Symposium
Past the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.
Future of Rail Symposium
Reshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.
Double brokering. AI deepfakes. Identity theft. Freight fraud is an existential threat to the industry. Get ahead of it.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame • Cleveland, OH Register NowPast the hype. Join operators, founders, and enterprise leaders figuring out how to deploy AI in supply chain.
The Old Post Office • Chicago, IL Register NowReshoring is rewriting freight demand. Join shippers, rail executives, and government officials to shape the next decade.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now