AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending January 24, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 28, 2026 - The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending January 24, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 481,708 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.0 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending January 24 were 214,784 carloads, up 13.7 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 266,924 containers and trailers, up 0.5 percent compared to 2025.

All of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included coal, up 6,656 carloads, to 58,954; nonmetallic minerals, up 6,626 carloads, to 25,783; and chemicals, up 4,987 carloads, to 33,773.

For the first three weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 672,370 carloads, up 11.2 percent from the same point last year; and 825,180 intermodal units, up 1.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first three weeks of 2026 was 1,497,550 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 5.5 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending January 24, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 317,001 carloads, up 10.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 347,873 intermodal units, up 1.3 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 664,874 carloads and intermodal units, up 5.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first three weeks of 2026 was 2,056,530 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.7 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 88,348 carloads for the week, down 0.6 percent, and 66,285 intermodal units, down 1.4 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first three weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 474,435 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.0 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,869 carloads for the week, up 34.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,664 intermodal units, up 41.3 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first three weeks of 2026 was 84,545 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 41.7 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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