AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending January 10, 2026

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending January 10, 2026.

For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 510,457 carloads and intermodal units, up 9.7 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending January 10 were 232,803 carloads, up 16.7 percent compared with the same week in 2025, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 277,654 containers and trailers, up 4.4 percent compared to 2025.

Nine of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included coal, up 14,178 carloads, to 66,374; nonmetallic minerals, up 6,539 carloads, to 28,766; and grain, up 4,956 carloads, to 26,204. One commodity group posted a decrease compared with the same week in 2025: forest products, down 748 carloads, to 7,838.

For the first week of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 232,803 carloads, up 16.7 percent from the same point last year; and 277,654 intermodal units, up 4.4 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first week of 2026 was 510,457 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 9.7 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending January 10, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 333,712 carloads, up 11.1 percent compared with the same week last year, and 362,772 intermodal units, up 4.8 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 696,484 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.7 percent. North American rail volume for the first week of 2026 was 696,484 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.7 percent compared with 2025.

Canadian railroads reported 87,561 carloads for the week, down 4.2 percent, and 70,664 intermodal units, down 1.0 percent compared with the same week in 2025. For the first week of 2026, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 158,225 carloads, containers and trailers, down 2.8 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 13,348 carloads for the week, up 41.5 percent compared with the same week last year, and 14,454 intermodal units, up 65.5 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first week of 2026 was 27,802 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 53.0 percent from the same point last year.