Rail traffic on U.S. carriers totaled 482,121 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending July 4, a gain of 8.7% from the same week a year ago.
Commodity shipments came to 212,691 carloads, up 3.7%, while intermodal volume was 269,430 containers and trailers, up 12.9% compared to 2025.
Grain and farm products excluding grain and food led nine out of 10 gainers, up 13% and 12.7%, while metallic ores and metals increased 10.6% from 2025, to lead industrial categories.
Coal, the lone decliner, saw carloads fall 7.9%.
For the first 26 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,894,302 carloads, better by 3.2%, and 7,254,412 intermodal units, ahead 3.6% y/y. Total combined traffic reached 13,148,714 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3.4%.
North American rail volume for the week on nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 316,737 carloads, up 6.3%, and 354,603 intermodal units, up 10.3%. Total combined volume was 671,340 carloads and intermodal units, up 8.4%. Volume for the first 26 weeks of this year was 18,099,612 carloads and intermodal units, better by 2.9% y/y.
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Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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