Chemical shipments percolate in latest rail data
Rail freight posts another solid week led by crude by rail, met ore The post Chemical shipments percolate in latest rail data appeared first on FreightWaves.
Source Lens
Industry Context
Useful background context, but lower-priority than direct platform, community, or operator intelligence.
Impact Level
medium
Use this briefing to decide whether your team needs an immediate workflow, policy, or reporting change.
Key Stat / Trigger
No single quantitative trigger surfaced in this report.
Focus on the operational implication, not just the headline.
Full Coverage
Freight carried by U. S. railroads enjoyed another strong week, according to data from the Association of American Railroads. U. S. weekly rail traffic was 532,462 carloads and intermodal units, up 4. 2% compared with the same week a year ago. Total carloads for the week ending August 22 came to 235,885 units, up 3.
2%, while intermodal volume was 296,577 containers and trailers, up 5% on 2025. Seven of 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2025. They included metallic ores and metals, 9. 5%; chemicals, up 6% after several down weeks; and grain, up 9%. window. googletag = window. googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag. cmd.
push(function() {googletag. defineSlot('/21776187881/FW-Responsive-Main_Content-Slot1', [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], 'div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'). defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps. banner1). addService(googletag. pubads()); googletag. pubads(). enableSingleRequest(); googletag. pubads(). collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.
enableServices(); }); googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag. display('div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'); }); Motor vehicles and parts slipped 10. 4% for the week. For the first 33 weeks of 2026, U. S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 7,511,910 carloads, up 2. 7%, and 9,301,986 intermodal units, up 3. 8% y/y.
Total combined traffic was 16,813,896 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 3. 3% from the previous year. North American weekly volume on 9 reporting U. S. , Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 340,627 carloads, up 5. 5% y/y, and 387,545 intermodal units, up 5. 6%. Total combined traffic was 728,172 carloads and intermodal units, up 5. 6%.
North American volume for the first 33 weeks of 2026 was 23,071,332 carloads and intermodal units, up 3% compared with 2025. 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. window. googletag = window. googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag. cmd.
push(function() {googletag. defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot3', [[728, 90], [468, 60], [320, 50], [300, 100]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0'). defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps. banner1). addService(googletag. pubads()); googletag. pubads(). enableSingleRequest(); googletag. pubads(). collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.
enableServices(); }); googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag.
display('div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0'); }); Read more: Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern defend rail merger application as STB review advances Norfolk Southern, Wabtec set locomotive upgrades to AC power Rail mega-merger revives proposal for new, expanded Atlanta passenger services — and there’s a trucking angle window. googletag = window.
googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag. defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot4', [[300, 100], [320, 50], [728, 90], [468, 60]], 'div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0'). defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps. banner1). addService(googletag. pubads()); googletag. pubads(). enableSingleRequest(); googletag. pubads().
collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag. enableServices(); }); googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag. display('div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0'); }); Rail freight puts the pedal to the metal(s) in latest data Regulators set schedule for review of UP-NS merger The post Chemical shipments percolate in latest rail data appeared first on FreightWaves.
Original Source
This briefing is based on reporting from Freightwaves. Use the original post for full primary-source context.
Style
Audience