AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending February 14, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 18, 2026 - The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending February 14, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 510,399 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending February 14 were 225,283 carloads, up 7.7 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 285,116 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 grain, up 8,175 carloads, to 27,822; coal, up 3,918 carloads, to 58,413; and chemicals, up 1,690 carloads, to 33,957. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 were motor vehicles and parts, down 173 carloads, to 14,608; forest products, down 172 carloads, to 8,074; and miscellaneous carloads, down 49 carloads, to 8,374.

For the first six weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,297,249 carloads, up 3.4 percent from the same point last year; and 1,631,915 intermodal units, down 1.8 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first six weeks of 2026 was 2,929,164 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 0.4 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending February 14, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 333,151 carloads, up 7.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 372,091 intermodal units, up 6.7 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 705,242 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.2 percent. North American rail volume for the first six weeks of 2026 was 4,035,344 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.1 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 94,385 carloads for the week, up 8.5 percent, and 72,528 intermodal units, up 10.6 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first six weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 947,293 carloads, containers and trailers, down 0.2 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,483 carloads for the week, up 5.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,447 intermodal units, up 22.8 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first six weeks of 2026 was 158,887 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 26.4 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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