Rail traffic on U.S. carriers totaled 543,212 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.1% from the same week a year ago, according to the Association of American Railroads.
For the week ending August 29, commodity freight came to 240,021 carloads, better by 2.2%, while intermodal volume was 303,191 containers and trailers, ahead 5.7% y/y.
Seven of 10 carload commodity group shipments tracked by AAR increased from the same week in 2025. They were led by metallic ores and metals typically used in steelmaking, 11%; petroleum and related products, 8.4%; and grain, 8.3%.
Decreases were seen in chemicals, 3.8%, and motor vehicles and parts, 6%.
Analysts have speculated that steel production for data center construction is likely boosting shipments of metallic ore, while uneven manufacturing output has produced off-and-on results in chemicals.
Intermodal continues to benefit from the wide delta between truck and rail rates, now at around 34%, according to SONAR data. A pause in rising truck rates appears to be over as tender acceptance rates are again climbing amid continued federal enforcement actions that have culled capacity.
Coal volumes were up 1.9% y/y, both on the seasonal runup to winter but also on increasing use by power generators amid greater demand and pro-coal support from the Trump administration.
For the first 34 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,751,931 carloads, up 2.7%, and 9,605,177 intermodal units, up 3.9%, y/y. Total combined traffic 17,357,108 carloads and intermodal units, a healthy 3.3% gain from 2025.
North American rail volume for the week on nine U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads improved by 1.7% to 346,191 carloads, and 395,417 intermodal units, up 6% y/y. Total combined traffic was 741,608 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.9%. North American volume for the first 34 weeks of 2026 was 23,812,940 carloads and intermodal units, ahead 3% on 2025.
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Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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