AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending August 22, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 26, 2026 - The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 22, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 532,462 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.2 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending August 22 were 235,885 carloads, up 3.2 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 296,577 containers and trailers, up 5.0 percent compared to 2025.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included metallic ores and metals, up 2,054 carloads, to 23,663; chemicals, up 1,923 carloads, to 33,850; and grain, up 1,844 carloads, to 22,260. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 were motor vehicles and parts, down 1,837 carloads, to 15,849; miscellaneous carloads, down 773 carloads, to 8,301; and nonmetallic minerals, down 27 carloads, to 32,632.

For the first 33 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,511,910 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year; and 9,301,986 intermodal units, up 3.8 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 33 weeks of 2026 was 16,813,896 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.3 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending August 22, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 340,627 carloads, up 5.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 387,545 intermodal units, up 5.6 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 728,172 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.6 percent. North American rail volume for the first 33 weeks of 2026 was 23,071,332 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.0 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 90,862 carloads for the week, up 12.9 percent, and 76,420 intermodal units, up 4.0 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 33 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,421,349 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.2 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,880 carloads for the week, up 0.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,548 intermodal units, up 33.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 33 weeks of 2026 was 836,087 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 8.5 percent from the same point last year.

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For more information, contact: AAR Media Relations at [email protected] or 202-639-2345.

About AAR: The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the world's leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers. AAR members include the major freight railroads of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as Amtrak. Learn more at www.aar.org.

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