AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending October 3, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 7, 2026 - The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 3, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 529,712 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.1 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending October 3 were 230,711 carloads, up 2.4 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 299,001 containers and trailers, up 7.4 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 2,647 carloads, to 23,387; coal, up 1,627 carloads, to 58,163; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,286 carloads, to 11,804. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 were grain, down 1,160 carloads, to 21,170; farm products excl. grain, and food, down 720 carloads, to 16,935; and chemicals, down 49 carloads, to 32,891.

For the first 39 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,910,593 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year; and 11,077,697 intermodal units, up 4.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 39 weeks of 2026 was 19,988,290 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.5 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending October 3, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 335,068 carloads, up 1.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 386,372 intermodal units, up 6.9 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 721,440 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.4 percent. North American rail volume for the first 39 weeks of 2026 was 27,399,651 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.1 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 92,532 carloads for the week, down 0.8 percent, and 73,192 intermodal units, up 0.7 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 39 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,418,077 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.3 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 11,825 carloads for the week, up 6.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,179 intermodal units, up 36.7 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 39 weeks of 2026 was 993,284 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.2 percent from the same point last year.

###

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.

Follow Us: Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn / Signal Newsletter