Industrial products spark rail freight gains
Industrial products led rail freight traffic as intermodal volumes eased from their recent surge. The post Industrial products spark rail freight gains appeared first on FreightWaves.
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Useful background context, but lower-priority than direct platform, community, or operator intelligence.
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medium
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Rail traffic totaled 527,162 carloads and intermodal units on U. S. lines, up 2. 5% from a year ago, for the week ending July 25, the Association of American Railroads reported. Commodities totaled 234,100 carloads, up 1. 4%, while intermodal volume came to 293,062 containers and trailers, up 3. 5% from 2025.
Five of 10 carload commodity groups were higher y/y. Gains were led by petroleum and related products, 11. 8%; metallic ores and metals typically used in steelmaking, 9. 3%. (Chart: AAR) Coal was down by 1. 6% and chemicals were 0. 6% weaker. window. googletag = window. googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag.
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push(function() {googletag. display('div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'); }); For the first 29 weeks of 2026, U. S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,578,325 carloads, up 2. 8%, and 8,124,976 intermodal units, up 3. 7% from a year ago. Total combined U. S. traffic year-to-date was 14,703,301 carloads and intermodal units, better by 3. 3%.
North American rail volume for the week on nine reporting U. S. , Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 339,845 carloads, an increase of 3. 8%, and 374,646 intermodal units, up 2. 6%. Total combined traffic grew 3. 1% to 714,491 carloads and intermodal units.
North American rail volume year-to-date came to 20,218,112 carloads and intermodal units, ahead by 2. 9%. 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.
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push(function() {googletag. display('div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0'); }); Read more: BNSF CEO assails new rail merger filing, says transcon will raise rates, prices CEOs of UP, NS, say latest additions to rail merger application further enhance competitive aspects Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern add new customer protections as STB merger review advances window.
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pubads(). collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag. enableServices(); }); googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag. display('div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0'); }); CN boosts outlook as volume growth tops expectations BNSF: New UP-CN deal ‘undermines’ case for merger The post Industrial products spark rail freight gains appeared first on FreightWaves.
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This briefing is based on reporting from Freightwaves. Use the original post for full primary-source context.
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