Freight traffic on U.S. railroads posted a breakout week, the Association of American Railroads reported, as intermodal joined a rally to stay ahead of year-ago levels.
Total traffic for the week ending May 2 was 518,773 carloads and intermodal units, better by 3.9% compared to the same week in 2025.
Commodities came to 235,049 carloads, up 4%, while intermodal volume was 283,724 containers and trailers, an increase of 3.9% y/y.
Nine of 10 carload commodity groups finished ahead of the previous year. They were led by grain’s ongoing rally, 14.7%, and petroleum and related products, 8.6%.
U.S. grain transportation volumes on rail and barge are running above the recent‑year average, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with Class I rail grain carloads and inland barge tonnage up single‑digit percentages year‑over‑year, reflecting higher export‑driven flows. Vessel activity in the Gulf of Mexico and on the Pacific Northwest coast has also stayed firm, with visible gains in grain‑vessel wait‑to‑load numbers, which supports steady grain‑shipment throughput.
Forest products was the lone decliner from a year ago, off 2.6%, as a weak housing market continued to impact shipments of building materials.
For the first 17 weeks of 2026, cumulative volume of 3,837,643 carloads increased 3.6%, and 4,697,928 intermodal units improved 0.4% y/y. Total combined traffic year-to-date was 8,535,571 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8%.
Weekly volume on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads improved by 3.9% to 345,137 carloads, and by 3% to 372,439 intermodal units. Total combined traffic was 717,576 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.4%. North American volume for the first 17 weeks of this year was 11,761,179 carloads and intermodal units, better by 2% from 2025.
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Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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