WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic showed a significant uptick during the week ending Jan. 28, gaining 6% over the same week a year ago.
Total weekly traffic was 481,708 carloads and intermodal units. That included 214,784 carloads, up 13.7%, and 266,924 containers and trailers, up 0.5% compared to the corresponding week in 2025.
Through three weeks, U.S. traffic for 2026 is 1,497,550 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 5.5% from the same period last year. The 672,370 carloads are a gain of 11.2%, while the 825,180 intermodal units are an increase of 1.2%.
North American totals for the week, from nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, are 317,001 carloads, up 10.1% from the same week a year ago, and 347,873 intermodal units, up 1.3%. The total of 664,874 carloads and intermodal units represents a 5.3% gain. For the year to date, traffic is 2,056,530 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.7% from the first three weeks of 2025.
Canadian traffic for the week included 88,348 carloads, down 0.6% from the same week last year, and 66,285 intermodal units, down 1.4%. Through three weeks, cumulative Canadian volume is 474,435 carloads and intermodal units, down 2% from last year.
In Mexico, railroads reported 13,869 carloads for the week, up 34.8% from a year ago, and 14,664 intermodal units, up 41.3%. The year-to-date total of 84,545 carloads and intermodal units is an increase of 41.7% from 2025.
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