WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic was up by a small margin for the week ending Feb. 28, 2026, according to the Association of American Railroads.
Volume for the week was 516,729 carloads and intermodal units, a gain of 1.6% over the same week a year ago. That included 238,131 carloads, up 6.9%, and 278,598 containers and trailers, down 2.5%.
Grain again boosted the carload totals, accounting for 25,210 carloads, up 20% from the same week in 2025.
Through eight weeks of 2026, total U.S. volume was 3,953,605 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8% from the same period last year. That included 1,762,504 carloads, up 5.5%, and 2,191,101 intermodal units, down 1%.
North American traffic for the week, as reported by nine U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, included 345,406 carloads, up 4.1%, and 366,411 intermodal units, down 0.1%. The combined figure of 711,817 carloads and intermodal units represents a 1.9% gain of the same week in 2025. For the year to date, the North American volume of 5,442,179 carloads and intermodal units is a 2.5% gain over the first eight weeks of 2025.
In Canada, railroads handled 93,668 carloads, up 2.5%, and 74,256 intermodal units up 11.3% from a year ago. Through eight weeks of 2026, the Canadian total of 1,274,116 carloads and intermodal units is a 2.5% gain over the same period last year.
Mexican figures for the week include 13,607 carloads, down 22.5%, and 13,557 intermodal units, down 4.5%. For the year to date, Mexican railroads have handled 214,458 carloads and intermodal units, up 17% from the first eight weeks of 2025.
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