Rail freight rolls on in latest data

Shipments of forest products returned to earth after a brief comeback last week, but that didn’t drag down strong U. S. railfreight volumes as intermodal led data higher. Total U. S. weekly rail traffic for the week ending May 23 was 523,574 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.

2% compared with the same week a year ago, the Association of American Railroads said. Freight totaled 230,831 carloads, up 2. 2%, while intermodal volume of containers and trailers was 292,743 units, better by 11. 5% y/y. Six of 10 carload commodity groups tracked by AAR were higher y/y. Grain remained the pacesetter, up 15.

3%; followed by metallic ores and metals, 9%. Motor vehicles and parts shook off a slow year, up 2. 3% For the first 20 weeks of this year, U. S. railroads saw cumulative volume of 4,528,563 carloads, up 3. 3%, and 5,555,553 intermodal units, a gain of 1. 4% from the prior year. Total combined volume was 10,084,116 carloads and intermodal units, better by 2.

3% y/y. North American rail volume for the week on nine reporting U. S. , Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 340,946 carloads, an increase of 3. 8%, and 381,548 intermodal units, up 10. 3% from 2025. Total combined traffic was 722,494 carloads and intermodal units, ahead by 7. 2%. North American rail volume for the first 20 weeks of 2026 improved 2.

1% to 13,877,362 carloads and intermodal units. 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.