AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending October 31, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 4, 2026 - The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 31, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 514,080 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.5 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending October 31 were 233,816 carloads, up 3.0 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 280,264 containers and trailers, up 3.9 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 3,883 carloads, to 25,059; chemicals, up 2,542 carloads, to 34,523; and motor vehicles and parts, up 1,351 carloads, to 16,268. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 were grain, down 2,092 carloads, to 23,078; miscellaneous carloads, down 1,162 carloads, to 8,369; and coal, down 224 carloads, to 55,042.

For the first 43 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,843,359 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year; and 12,271,905 intermodal units, up 4.7 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 43 weeks of 2026 was 22,115,264 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.8 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending October 31, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 346,689 carloads, up 3.9 percent compared with the same week last year, and 368,931 intermodal units, up 4.7 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 715,620 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first 43 weeks of 2026 was 30,283,381 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 99,849 carloads for the week, up 5.1 percent, and 74,070 intermodal units, up 4.0 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 43 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 7,099,078 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.5 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,024 carloads for the week, up 11.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,597 intermodal units, up 26.9 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 43 weeks of 2026 was 1,069,039 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 5.5 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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