Intermodal rail freight in the United States is pulling away from traditional carload traffic, with weekly volumes surging at nearly double the growth rate of commodities. According to FreightWaves, for the week ending June 13, 2026, total U.S. weekly rail traffic reached 520,406 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.2% from the same week in 2025. Intermodal volume—containers and trailers—jumped 10.9% to 289,447 units, while carloads of commodities rose only 2.8% to 230,959 carloads.
Why Intermodal Is Accelerating
The divergence reflects a structural shift in freight demand. FreightWaves reports that rising truckload rates have prompted railroads to capture substantial volume in domestic intermodal. International intermodal volumes are also growing, driven by elevated global fuel costs linked to the Iran war and frontloading by importers on the trans-Pacific, who anticipate price hikes from Asian manufacturers.
Weekly and Year-to-Date Performance
At the halfway point of 2026, U.S. railroads have handled cumulative volume of 5,215,944 carloads (up 3.2%) and 6,403,177 intermodal units (up 2.7%) year-over-year. Combined total traffic for the first 23 weeks stood at 11,619,121 carloads and intermodal units, a gain of 2.9%. The weekly figures show a pronounced acceleration in intermodal, which grew 10.9% compared to 2.8% for carloads. The following table summarizes key growth rates:
| Segment | Weekly Change (YoY) | YTD Change (YoY) |
|---|---|---|
| Carload | +2.8% | +3.2% |
| Intermodal | +10.9% | +2.7% |
| Total Combined | +7.2% | +2.9% |
Commodity Breakdown
Six of ten carload commodity categories posted gains. Grain continued its months-long leadership with a 21.7% increase. Metallic ores and metals rose 19.2%, a surge that FreightWaves notes some analysts attribute to the breakout growth in data center construction. Chemical shipments, which had shown steady improvement, fell 1.1% year-over-year. Forest products declined 1.6%, continuing its volatile pattern.
North American Rail Volume
Looking across the broader rail network, nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads moved 337,700 carloads (up 1.7%) and 379,536 intermodal units (up 9.3%) for the week. Total combined North American traffic was 717,236 carloads and intermodal units, a 5.6% increase year-over-year. For the first 23 weeks of 2026, North American volume totaled 15,993,851 carloads and intermodal units, up 2.5% from 2025, according to FreightWaves.
Implications for Freight Forwarders and Shippers
The continued strength of intermodal over carload signals a modal shift that logistics operators should monitor closely. Rising truckload rates are making rail intermodal more competitive on domestic lanes, while international intermodal benefits from fuel-cost-driven ocean-to-rail conversions. Shippers should evaluate contract rates and capacity availability on key corridors, especially trans-Pacific intermodal moves. The frontloading trend due to expected Asian price increases may strain rail equipment and terminal capacity in the second half of 2026. Additionally, the data center construction boom is boosting metallic ore and metal carloads, so forwarders serving that sector should consider rail options for inbound raw materials.
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