Total carloads for the week came in at 228,666, rising 5.1%, and intermodal volume was 271,374 containers and trailers, dipping 1.1% from 2025, according to the AAR.
For the week ending April 11, 2026, seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week last year. They included coal, up 6,728 carloads, to 58,309; chemicals, up 2,417 carloads, to 34,647; and farm products excluding grain, and food, up 1,027 carloads, to 17,633. Commodity groups that posted declines were motor vehicles and parts, down 1,050 carloads, to 15,199; grain, down 494 carloads, to 23,651; and miscellaneous carloads, down 432 carloads, to 9,065.
For the first 14 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,142,017 carloads, up 4.0% from the prior-year period; and 3,854,862 intermodal units, down 0.3% from 2025. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 14 weeks of 2026 was 6,996,879 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 1.6% compared with last year.
North American rail volume for the week ending April 11, 2026, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 338,866 carloads, a 5.3% gain over the same week last year, and 358,578 intermodal units, a 0.7% loss compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America came in at 697,444 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.1%. North American rail volume for the first 14 weeks of this year was 9,631,857 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8% from 2025.
For the week ending April 11, 2026, Canadian railroads reported 96,295 carloads, up 3.3%, and 73,502 intermodal units, down 3.2% from the same week last year. For the first 14 weeks of 2026, they reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,264,302 carloads, containers, and trailers, up 0.7%.
Mexican railroads reported 13,905 carloads for the week ending April 11, 2026, jumping up 25.4% from the same week last year, and 13,702 intermodal units, gaining 27.2%. Their cumulative volume for the first 14 weeks of 2026 was 370,676 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, rising 14.2% from the same point last year.
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