AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending August 15, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 19, 2026 - The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 15, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 525,099 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.4 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending August 15 were 233,261 carloads, up 1.9 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 291,838 containers and trailers, up 2.7 percent compared to 2025.

Eight of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included metallic ores and metals, up 3,750 carloads, to 23,322; nonmetallic minerals, up 2,161 carloads, to 33,420; and miscellaneous carloads, up 1,411 carloads, to 9,279. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 were coal, down 3,660 carloads, to 60,219; and motor vehicles and parts, down 2,227 carloads, to 14,685.

For the first 32 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,276,025 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year; and 9,005,409 intermodal units, up 3.8 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 32 weeks of 2026 was 16,281,434 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.3 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending August 15, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 335,920 carloads, up 4.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 383,904 intermodal units, up 5.1 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 719,824 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.9 percent. North American rail volume for the first 32 weeks of 2026 was 22,343,160 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 89,096 carloads for the week, up 11.6 percent, and 76,979 intermodal units, up 7.9 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 32 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,254,067 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.9 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,563 carloads for the week, up 12.2 percent compared with the same week last year, and 15,087 intermodal units, up 53.0 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 32 weeks of 2026 was 807,659 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 8.3 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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