The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 12, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 494,865 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.7 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending September 12 were 223,560 carloads, down 3.3 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 271,305 containers and trailers, down 4.1 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 3,461 carloads, to 23,507; petroleum and petroleum products, up 663 carloads, to 10,901; and forest products, up 174 carloads, to 8,342. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 included motor vehicles and parts, down 3,313 carloads, to 14,295; chemicals, down 3,195 carloads, to 31,714; and coal, down 2,229 carloads, to 58,408.

For the first 36 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 8,209,888 carloads, up 2.7 percent from the same point last year; and 10,175,630 intermodal units, up 4.0 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 36 weeks of 2026 was 18,385,518 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.4 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending September 12, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 326,500 carloads, down 3.3 percent compared with the same week last year, and 353,081 intermodal units, down 3.8 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 679,581 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.6 percent. North American rail volume for the first 36 weeks of 2026 was 25,216,803 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.0 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 90,264 carloads for the week, down 2.5 percent, and 68,313 intermodal units, down 4.8 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first 36 weeks of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 5,917,901 carloads, containers and trailers, up 1.4 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 12,676 carloads for the week, down 9.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 13,463 intermodal units, up 7.7 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 36 weeks of 2026 was 913,384 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 7.1 percent from the same point last year.