Commodity markets whip up railfreight gains

Railroads in the United States thrived amid rising demand and economic uncertainty in the week ending October 17, 2025, according to data from the Association of American Railroads. The total weekly rail traffic reached 540,135 carloads and intermodal units, marking an 8.5% increase compared to the same period last year. Carloads climbed 3.5%, while intermodal volume expanded by 12.6%.

Of the 10 carload commodity groups, nine showed growth compared to the same week in 2024. Metallic ores and metals, crucial for steel production and other industries, led the gains, surging 14.5%. Domestic raw steel production increased 4.1% from the prior week, as indicated by the American Iron and Steel Institute. Petroleum and related products enjoyed an 8.8% rise, while grain experienced a 7% improvement.

The only category to fall was nonmetallic minerals, such as sand and stone, which declined 3.2% year-over-year. Through the first 41 weeks of 2026, U.S. railroads transported a cumulative volume of 9,374,717 carloads and 11,687,964 intermodal units, both up 2.7% and 4.6% respectively from 2025. The total combined traffic for these weeks stood at 21,062,681 carloads and intermodal units, reflecting a 3.7% increase year-over-year.

North American rail volume for the week increased by 3.2% for a total of 339,034 carloads and 392,681 intermodal units, compared to a 10.8% rise year-over-year. The combined weekly rail traffic in North America reached 731,715 carloads and intermodal units, marking a 7.2% increase. North American rail volume for the first 41 weeks of 2026 totaled 28,828,693 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.2% compared to the same period in 2025.