Rail on a roll as ag, metals, chemicals lead traffic
Rail traffic continued its recent strong performance as 511,216 carloads and intermodal units were 4.2% ahead of the same week a year ago.
Shipments for the week ending May 16 totaled 230,497 carloads, up 0.6% y/y, the Association of American Railroads said, while weekly intermodal volume reached 280,719 containers and trailers, better by 7.3% compared to 2025.
Seven of 10 carload commodities tracked by AAR improved y/y. Grain continued its banner run, 14.5%, followed by petroleum and petroleum products, 9.8%. Forest products jumped up for the first time, as volume improved 14.5%. A frozen residential housing market dragged the category since the beginning of the year.
Through the first 19 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 4,297,732 carloads, up 3.4%, and 5,262,810 intermodal containers and trailers, up 0.9%. Total combined U.S. traffic was 9,560,542 carloads and intermodal units, better by 2% y/y.
North American rail volume for the week on nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 341,822 carloads, up 1.6% from the same week a year ago. Intermodal came to 374,372 units, up 6.7%. Total combined traffic was 716,194 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 4.2%. Volume for the first 19 weeks of 2026 was 13,154,868 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.9%.
