Rail site visitors on U.S. carriers totaled 543,212 carloads and intermodal models, up 4.1% from the identical week a 12 months in the past, in response to the Affiliation of American Railroads.
For the week ending August 29, commodity freight got here to 240,021 carloads, higher by 2.2%, whereas intermodal quantity was 303,191 containers and trailers, forward 5.7% y/y.
Seven of 10 carload commodity group shipments tracked by AAR elevated from the identical week in 2025. They have been led by metallic ores and metals usually utilized in steelmaking, 11%; petroleum and associated merchandise, 8.4%; and grain, 8.3%.
Decreases have been seen in chemical substances, 3.8%, and motor autos and elements, 6%.
Analysts have speculated that metal manufacturing for knowledge heart development is probably going boosting shipments of metallic ore, whereas uneven manufacturing output has produced off-and-on ends in chemical substances.
Intermodal continues to profit from the huge delta between truck and rail charges, now at round 34%, in response to SONAR knowledge. A pause in rising truck charges seems to be over as tender acceptance charges are once more climbing amid continued federal enforcement actions which have culled capability.
Coal volumes have been up 1.9% y/y, each on the seasonal runup to winter but additionally on rising use by energy mills amid better demand and pro-coal assist from the Trump administration.
For the primary 34 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative quantity of seven,751,931 carloads, up 2.7%, and 9,605,177 intermodal models, up 3.9%, y/y. Whole mixed site visitors 17,357,108 carloads and intermodal models, a wholesome 3.3% achieve from 2025.
North American rail quantity for the week on 9 U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads improved by 1.7% to 346,191 carloads, and 395,417 intermodal models, up 6% y/y. Whole mixed site visitors was 741,608 carloads and intermodal models, a rise of three.9%. North American quantity for the primary 34 weeks of 2026 was 23,812,940 carloads and intermodal models, forward 3% on 2025.
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