AAR Reports Weekly Rail Traffic for the Week Ending January 17, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 21, 2026 - The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending January 17, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 505,385 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.1 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending January 17 were 224,783 carloads, up 3.9 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 280,602 containers and trailers, down 1.1 percent compared to 2025.

Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They were grain, up 5,070 carloads, to 25,786; nonmetallic minerals, up 3,612 carloads, to 28,232; and metallic ores and metals, up 2,285 carloads, to 19,973. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 included chemicals, down 750 carloads, to 33,412; motor vehicles and parts, down 448 carloads, to 13,306; and coal, down 403 carloads, to 58,641.

For the first two weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 457,586 carloads, up 10.0 percent from the same point last year; and 558,256 intermodal units, up 1.6 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first two weeks of 2026 was 1,015,842 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 5.2 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending January 17, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 327,894 carloads, up 2.6 percent compared with the same week last year, and 367,278 intermodal units, up 0.2 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 695,172 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.3 percent. North American rail volume for the first two weeks of 2026 was 1,391,656 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.4 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 90,331 carloads for the week, down 1.9 percent, and 71,246 intermodal units, down 2.6 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first two weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 319,802 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.5 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 12,780 carloads for the week, up 13.8 percent compared with the same week last year, and 15,430 intermodal units, up 60.9 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first two weeks of 2026 was 56,012 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 43.7 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