
In many countries, railroads have been built to haul one commodity, such as coal or ore, from an inland point to a port. Many freight rail operators are trying to reduce these costs by reducing or eliminating switching in classification yards through techniques such as unit trains and containerization. A single car might be reclassified or switched in several yards before reaching its final destination, a process that made rail freight slow and increased costs. Others are reassembled into trains heading to classification yards closer to their final destination. Those that are destined for stations served by that yard are assigned to local trains for delivery. At the next classification yard, cars are resorted.

When long enough, or based on a schedule, each long-distance train is then dispatched to another classification yard. Smaller locomotives transfer the rail cars from the sidings and goods stations to a classification yard, where each car is coupled to one of several long-distance trains being assembled there, depending on that car's destination. Other shippers have their goods hauled ( drayed) by wagon or truck to or from a goods station (freight station in US). Traditionally, large shippers build factories and warehouses near rail lines and have a section of track on their property called a siding where goods are loaded onto or unloaded from rail cars. Overview Average external costs of freight transport ( EU-28, 2016) per transport mode Mode These costs may exceed that of operating the train itself, a factor that practices such as containerization, trailer-on-flatcar or rolling highway aim to minimize. Moving goods by rail often involves transshipment costs, particularly when the shipper or receiver lack direct rail access. However, shipment by rail is not as flexible as by the highway, which has resulted in much freight being hauled by truck, even over long distances. Maximum economies are typically realized with bulk commodities (e.g., coal), especially when hauled over long distances. When considered in terms of ton-miles or tonne-kilometers hauled per unit of energy consumed, rail transport can be more efficient than other means of transportation.


Rail freight practices and economics vary by country and region. Trains may haul bulk material, intermodal containers, general freight or specialized freight in purpose-designed cars. Rail freight transport is the use of railroads and trains to transport cargo as opposed to human passengers.Ī freight train, cargo train, or goods train is a group of freight cars (US) or goods wagons ( International Union of Railways) hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, transporting cargo all or some of the way between the shipper and the intended destination as part of the logistics chain. Freight trains wait for departure in Zhengzhou, China
