Union Pacific transported a record volume of grain in the first quarter of 2026, surpassing its previous first-quarter high set in 2008, as demand from Mexico and overseas markets increased. CN also reported record grain movements in April, moving 3.2 million metric tonnes from Western Canada, its highest monthly total.
Union Pacific’s grain shuttle trains averaged 334 miles per day in the first quarter, compared with 294 miles per day in 2025. The higher volumes follow a record U.S. corn harvest in 2025, with production up 14% year on year.
The US railroad has introduced new high-efficiency covered hopper wagons with 2,500 pounds of additional payload capacity. The wagons are three to seven feet shorter than older designs, allowing more vehicles per train within the same siding length and increasing total tonnage per movement. At the Eagle Pass border crossing, Union Pacific has revised crew change procedures, enabling Mexican crews to operate seven miles into its yard for crew exchanges rather than changing crews on the international bridge.
CN said April’s 3.2 million tonnes marked the eighth consecutive month of strong performance in the current crop year, with seven months setting new monthly records. The Canadian railway attributed the results to export demand, available grain supply and network performance across its export corridors and domestic routes in Canada and the United States.
