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

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

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 538,503 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.8 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending October 24 were 234,826 carloads, up 3.6 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 303,677 containers and trailers, up 11.3 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 2,272 carloads, to 21,811; motor vehicles and parts, up 2,234 carloads, to 16,788; and petroleum and petroleum products, up 1,565 carloads, to 11,700. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 were farm products excl. grain, and food, down 680 carloads, to 17,655; and grain, down 322 carloads, to 22,710.

For the first 42 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,609,543 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year; and 11,991,641 intermodal units, up 4.7 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 42 weeks of 2026 was 21,601,184 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.8 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending October 24, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 345,784 carloads, up 5.0 percent compared with the same week last year, and 393,284 intermodal units, up 10.8 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 739,068 carloads and intermodal units, up 8.0 percent. North American rail volume for the first 42 weeks of 2026 was 29,567,761 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.3 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 99,085 carloads for the week, up 7.6 percent, and 75,316 intermodal units, up 5.5 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 42 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 6,925,159 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.5 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 11,873 carloads for the week, up 12.7 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,291 intermodal units, up 33.4 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 42 weeks of 2026 was 1,041,418 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 5.2 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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