The Association of American Railroads (AAR) recently released U.S. rail traffic statistics for the week ending February 7, 2026. The data shows that total U.S. rail traffic for the week reached 486,854 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 3.2% compared to 2025.
Specifically, for the week ending February 7, total U.S. carloads were 208,408, a decrease of 4.8% compared to the same week in 2025. Weekly intermodal volume was 278,446 containers and trailers, down 2.0% year-over-year. Among the 10 carload commodity groups, petroleum and petroleum products, grain, and motor vehicles and parts showed increases, rising to 10,950 carloads, 22,577 carloads, and 16,011 carloads, respectively. Conversely, shipments of coal, nonmetallic minerals, and certain other carloads declined, with coal dropping to 53,445 carloads.
Looking at the cumulative data for the first five weeks of 2026, total U.S. rail carloads were 1,071,966, an increase of 2.5% year-over-year; intermodal units were 1,346,799, up 3.2% year-over-year. Overall traffic totaled 2,418,765 carloads and intermodal units, a slight decrease of 0.7% compared to the same period last year.
Regarding North American rail traffic, based on reports from 9 U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, total carloads for the week ending February 7 were 309,723, up 0.1% year-over-year; intermodal units were 361,789, also up 0.1%. Weekly total traffic was 671,512 carloads and intermodal units, essentially flat (0.1% increase). For the first five weeks of 2026, North American rail traffic totaled 3,338,702 carloads and intermodal units, a 0.1% increase compared to 2025.
Canadian railroads reported 87,967 carloads for the week, up 6.4%; intermodal units were 69,979, up 2.1%. Cumulative volume for the first five weeks was 780,380 carloads, containers, and trailers, down 2.1%. Mexican railroads reported 13,348 carloads for the week, a significant increase of 69.1%; intermodal units were 13,364, up 51.3%. Cumulative traffic for the first five weeks was 139,557 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, an increase of 38.0% year-over-year.
