Intermodal rail higher as shippers switch from trucks

Freight on U. S. railroads came to 520,406 carloads and intermodal units for the week ending June 13, up 7. 2% from the same period a year ago. Association of American Railroads’ data showed total carloads at 230,959 units, better by 2. 8%, while intermodal volume of 289,447 containers and trailers outdistanced year-ago traffic by 10. 9%.

Intermodal’s improvement has come as strengthening truck rates push domestic conversions to less expensive rail. At the same time, an early start to the peak shipping season has international volumes surging through U. S. ports. Six of the 10 carload commodity groups were up y/y. Grain topped winners, up 21.

7%; while metallic ores and metals used in steelmaking increased by 19. 2%. U. S. grain exports for the week ending June 11 totaled 2. 807 million metric tons inspected and/or weighed for export, up from 2. 760 million the prior week and 2. 340 million in the same week in 2026. (Chart: AAR) Weaker results came in coal, seasonally down 8. 3%.

Motor vehicles and parts were off 0. 5%. Cumulative U. S. volume through the first 23 weeks of 2026 was 5,215,944 carloads, up 3. 2%, and 6,403,177 intermodal units, up 2. 7%, from a year ago. Total combined traffic was 11,619,121 carloads and intermodal units, better by 2. 9%. Weekly North American volume on nine reporting U. S.

, Canadian and Mexican railroads was 337,700 carloads, an increase of 1. 7% from the same week a year ago. A total of 379,536 intermodal units was ahead 9. 3%. Total combined traffic improved by 5. 6% to 717,236 carloads and intermodal units. Volume for the first 23 weeks of this year rose 2. 5% to 15,993,851 carloads and intermodal units from 2025.

Canadian railroads handled 93,827 carloads for the week, an increase of 2. 8%, along with 75,465 intermodal units, up 1. 1% y/y. For the first 23 weeks of 2026, volume of 3,788,314 carloads, containers and trailers was narrowly ahead by 0. 6%. Weekly carloads fell 20. 3% on Mexican railroads to 12,914 carloads, but increased 27.

3% to 14,624 intermodal units. Cumulative volume year-to-date was 586,416 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 8. 2% y/y. Subscribe to FreightWaves’ Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox. Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

More news: Rail, ocean access backs new Americold cold chain facility at eastern Canada port CSX officially opens $495 Baltimore intermodal rail tunnel project BNSF wins local approval for new $4B California rail intermodal project Intermodal pulls away from carload rail freight The post Intermodal rail higher as shippers switch from trucks appeared first on FreightWaves.