AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending July 25, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 29, 2026 - The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending July 25, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 527,162 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.5 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending July 25 were 234,100 carloads, up 1.4 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 293,062 containers and trailers, up 3.5 percent compared to 2025.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included metallic ores and metals, up 1,998 carloads, to 23,370; petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,219 carloads, to 11,522; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 1,120 carloads, to 17,091. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 included miscellaneous carloads, down 1,031 carloads, to 8,312; coal, down 1,001 carloads, to 61,380; and chemicals, down 191 carloads, to 33,112.

For the first 29 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,578,325 carloads, up 2.8 percent from the same point last year; and 8,124,976 intermodal units, up 3.7 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 29 weeks of 2026 was 14,703,301 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.3 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending July 25, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 339,845 carloads, up 3.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 374,646 intermodal units, up 2.6 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 714,491 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.1 percent. North American rail volume for the first 29 weeks of 2026 was 20,218,112 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.9 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 92,588 carloads for the week, up 7.3 percent, and 67,037 intermodal units, down 8.3 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 29 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 4,759,454 carloads, containers and trailers, up 0.5 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,157 carloads for the week, up 28.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,547 intermodal units, up 64.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 29 weeks of 2026 was 755,357 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 11.4 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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