AAR: North American Rail Volume Up Slightly Through Week 11

North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads came in at 7,531,662 carloads and intermodal units for the 11-week period ending March 21, 2026, the AAR reported March 25. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 5,479,590 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 1.8% from the same point last year; in Canada, 1,763,891 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.3%; and in Mexico, 288,181 carloads and intermodal units, up 11.7%.

Results were similar through the first 10 weeks of this year (ending March 14, 2026).

For the week ending March 21, 2026, U.S. Class I railroads carried 502,252 carloads and intermodal units, rising 1.2% from the same week last year, according to the AAR. That comprised 227,853 carloads, up 1.2% from 2025, and 274,669 containers and trailers, up 1.2% from 2025.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included chemicals, up 2,158 carloads, to 36,302; coal, up 918 carloads, to 58,312; and grain, up 749 carloads, to 22,989. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2025 included metallic ores and metals, down 1,122 carloads, to 19,087; forest products, down 361 carloads, to 7,841; and nonmetallic minerals, down 319 carloads, to 29,289.

For the first 11 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,450,275 carloads, up 4.7% from the same point last year; and 3,029,315 intermodal units, down 0.4% from last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending March 21, 2026, on 9 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 331,402 carloads, down 0.2% compared with the same week last year, and 361,692 intermodal units, down 0.0% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 693,094 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.1%.

For the week ending March 21, 2026, Canadian railroads reported 90,910 carloads, a 2.7%, and 73,440 intermodal units, a 4.4% drop-off compared with the same week last year.

Mexican railroads reported 12,909 carloads for the week ending March 21, 2026, falling 6.0% from the same point last year, and 13,583 intermodal units, down 0.2%.