Freight on U.S. lines saw minimal increases in the latest data reported by the Association of American Railroads.
Total U.S. traffic was 508,737 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.1% from the same week a year ago.
Carloads came to 228,299 units, up 1%, while containers and trailers totaled 280,438, up 1.1% from 2025.
Grain continued its recent rally, leading six of 10 carload commodity groups that improved week on week, up 18.4%. Petroleum and related products was the other double-digit gainer, up 11.3%.
Metallic ores and metals backslid after previous-week increases, off 8.1%, while forest products fell by 8%.
Through the first 10 weeks of 2026, cumulative volume on U.S. railroads reached 2,222,692 carloads, up 5%, and 2,754,646 intermodal units, weaker by 0.5% y/y. Intermodal services provider J.B. Hunt in an earnings call said low rates have so far failed to take share from a strengthening truckload sector. Total combined U.S. traffic year-to-date was 4,977,338 carloads and intermodal units, narrowly up 1.9%.
North American rail volume for the week on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 330,589 carloads, down 0.8%, and 368,448 intermodal units, ahead by 1.7% from a year ago.
Total combined traffic was 699,037 carloads and intermodal units, up 0.5%. Volume for the first 10 weeks of this year totaled 6,849,595 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.4% compared with 2025.
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Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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