U.S. Rail Traffic Surges 7.8% as Intermodal Leads Growth

U.S. rail traffic increased 7.8% for the week ended October 24 compared with the same period in 2025, driven primarily by intermodal shipments which surged 11.3%, according to Association of American Railroads data. Traditional carload traffic grew more modestly at 3.6%, but both modes outpaced their year-to-date growth rates. Petroleum products and motor vehicles led commodity gains with increases of 15.4% and 15.3% respectively, while forest products and metals also showed double-digit growth.

For supply chain professionals, this acceleration signals sustained demand momentum across key manufacturing and consumer sectors heading into the final months of 2026. The outperformance of intermodal shipments over traditional carloads reflects ongoing modal shifts toward container and trailer-based logistics, which offer greater flexibility and faster service cycles. However, weakness in grain and agricultural shipments (down 3.7% to 1.4%) suggests variable conditions in commodity markets, requiring monitoring for potential supply disruptions.

North American carriers reported even stronger performance with combined traffic up 8%, indicating that U.S. strength is being complemented by robust activity in Canada and Mexico, particularly notable in Mexican intermodal volumes which jumped 33.4% weekly.