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Transportation

Intermodal leads weekly gains as US rail traffic rises 3.5%, says AAR

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U.S. rail traffic increased 3.5% in the week ending Oct. 31 compared with the same week in 2025, the Association of American Railroads said Wednesday. Carload traffic rose 3.0%, while intermodal volume increased 3.9%. Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups recorded year-over-year gains. Metallic ores and metals led with an 18.3% increase, followed by forest products at 9.3% and motor vehicles and parts at 9.1%. Chemicals rose 7.9%, farm products excluding grain and food increased 6.9%, petroleum and petroleum products gained 2.5%, and nonmetallic minerals edged up 1.1%. Miscellaneous carloads posted the largest weekly decline, falling 12.2%. Grain traffic dropped 8.3%, while coal slipped 0.4%. For the first 43 weeks of 2026, total U.S. rail traffic increased 3.8% from the same period last year. Intermodal volume rose 4.7%, outpacing a 2.7% gain in carloads. Grain remained the strongest year-to-date carload category, up 10.1%, despite its weekly decline. Metallic ores and metals increased 8.9%, and petroleum and petroleum products rose 7.9%. Coal was the only carload category below its year-earlier level, down 1.6%. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var gptSlot = 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(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'); }); Across the nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads, combined weekly traffic increased 4.3% from the same week last year, according to the AAR. North American carloads rose 3.9%, while intermodal traffic gained 4.7%. Through the first 43 weeks of 2026, combined North American traffic was up 3.3%. Why it matters: The weekly increase extended a positive year-to-date trend, with total traffic up 3.8% through the first 43 weeks of 2026. 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() { var gptSlot = 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(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1665767553440-0'); }); Read more: CN 3Q profit rises 6% as freight revenue climbs Schneider to shift eastern rail business to Norfolk Southern from CSX U.S. rail traffic up 7.8% as intermodal leads gainers 9 alleged Mexican Cartel associates arrested in California train theft ring window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { var gptSlot = 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(); setInterval(function() { if (!document.hidden) { googletag.pubads().refresh([gptSlot]); } }, 60000); }); googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1709668086344-0'); }); CPKC reports record revenue on strength of grain and intermodal traffic The post Intermodal leads weekly gains as US rail traffic rises 3.5%, says AAR appeared first on FreightWaves.

U.S. rail traffic increased 3.5% in the week ending Oct. 31 compared with the same week in 2025, the Association of American Railroads said Wednesday. Carload traffic rose 3.0%, while intermodal volume increased 3.9%.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups recorded year-over-year gains. Metallic ores and metals led with an 18.3% increase, followed by forest products at 9.3% and motor vehicles and parts at 9.1%. Chemicals rose 7.9%, farm products excluding grain and food increased 6.9%, petroleum and petroleum products gained 2.5%, and nonmetallic minerals edged up 1.1%.

Miscellaneous carloads posted the largest weekly decline, falling 12.2%. Grain traffic dropped 8.3%, while coal slipped 0.4%.

For the first 43 weeks of 2026, total U.S. rail traffic increased 3.8% from the same period last year. Intermodal volume rose 4.7%, outpacing a 2.7% gain in carloads. Grain remained the strongest year-to-date carload category, up 10.1%, despite its weekly decline. Metallic ores and metals increased 8.9%, and petroleum and petroleum products rose 7.9%. Coal was the only carload category below its year-earlier level, down 1.6%.

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Across the nine reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads, combined weekly traffic increased 4.3% from the same week last year, according to the AAR. North American carloads rose 3.9%, while intermodal traffic gained 4.7%. Through the first 43 weeks of 2026, combined North American traffic was up 3.3%.

Why it matters: The weekly increase extended a positive year-to-date trend, with total traffic up 3.8% through the first 43 weeks of 2026.

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.

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Read more:

CN 3Q profit rises 6% as freight revenue climbs

Schneider to shift eastern rail business to Norfolk Southern from CSX

U.S. rail traffic up 7.8% as intermodal leads gainers

9 alleged Mexican Cartel associates arrested in California train theft ring 

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CPKC reports record revenue on strength of grain and intermodal traffic

The post Intermodal leads weekly gains as US rail traffic rises 3.5%, says AAR appeared first on FreightWaves.

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Dry Van & Reefer: Market Signals You Can’t Ignore

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