United States rail carload and intermodal volumes saw annual gains, for the week ending July 4, according to data recently issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Rail carloads, at 212,691, posted a 3.7% annual gain, with volumes coming in lower than previous weeks, due to the timing of the July 4 holiday, and trailed the weeks ending June 27 and June 20, at 232,408, and 233,259, respectively.
AAR reported that nine of the 10 carload commodity groups it tracks saw annual gains, including: grain, up 2,490 carloads, to 21,622; metallic ores and metals, up 2,134 carloads, to 22,262; and farm products excl. grain, and food, up 1,961 carloads, to 17,346. The lone commodity group posting an annual decrease was coal, down 4,197 carloads, to 48,841.
Weekly intermodal containers and trailers, at 269,340 units, posted a 12.9% annual gain, trailing the weeks ending June 27 and June 20, at 293,060, and 288,739, respectively.
Through the first 26 weeks of 2026, AAR reported that U.S. rail carloads, at 5,894,302, were up 3.2% annually, and intermodal units, at 7,254,412, are up 3.6% annually, for the same period.
