Intermodal Containers Outpace Carloads in Weak Rail Week

Key Details U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 28 totaled 515,921 carloads and intermodal units, up just 0.5% year-over-year. Intermodal volume led the way with 282,088 containers and trailers, gaining 1.6%, while traditional carloads declined 0.8% to 233,833 units. Where the Gains Are Six of ten carload commodity categories posted gains. Petroleum shipments jumped 11.2%, chemicals rose 5.9%, and non-categorized freight climbed 7%. Coal remains the biggest loser, dropping 8.3%, followed by nonmetallic minerals like sand and stone at 3.8%. Year-to-Date Snapshot Through the first 12 weeks of 2026, carloads are up 4.2% versus last year, but intermodal units slipped 0.2%. Combined rail traffic reached nearly 6 million units, up 1.7% overall. On a North American scale across nine major railroads, weekly volume declined 0.6%, though year-to-date metrics show a modest 1.8% improvement. Why It Matters Intermodal's slight outperformance reflects shifting freight patterns, but overall rail weakness in commodity segments signals economic headwinds ahead for truckers relying on rail interchanges.