Cargo trains and freight trains offer an alternative shipping option to semi trucks. Most businesses can send products state to state using the railroad system. In the US, cargo trains offer a way to ship internationally to Canada and Mexico.

Before you determine whether freight train shipping works the best for your business, understand freight trains basics. You might want to consider the following:

1. Is there a freight train route close by and does it connect to near your final destination?

2. What types of products can you ship on cargo trains?

3. Does freight train shipping allow you to move your products as quickly as you need to?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Investigate freight train routes and other freight trains information

There are different types of railroads throughout the US, including Class I and regional railroads. Railroad freight companies may use one type or a variety depending on the type of shipping they offer.

I recommend: National Atlas of the United States offers profiles and maps of railroads. It also offers informative information on the benefits of using cargo trains. RailServe.com provides a directory of links to railroads in the US and Canada.

Determine your packaging needs for freight train shipping

When you use cargo trains to transport your goods, you need to plan how your goods will get from the train station to the final destination. Your packaging needs depend on the type of product you send. Some businesses may require temperature-controlled containers, while others may need to use a container that the shipping company can transfer from the train to a truck without repacking the contents.

I recommend: Transportation Services offers a network of shipping venues to help you get your product to its final destination. It offers a varity of shipping containers to fit your needs. CSX offers several online tools to help you with your shipping needs. Get schedules, junctions and other freight trains information at its site.

Find rail freight rates before you commit to ship

Rail freight costs often depend on the traffic route, the weight of your cargo and whether the train is near full capacity. To find the best rate, you might want to consider a freight broker.

I recommend: Freightcenter.com allows you to get free quotes for the five cheapest shipping options. Take a tour of the site before you become a member. Commonwealth offers a line of Waybill tools to help you determine railroad freight rates along given traffic lines.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you consider this method of shipping, keep in mind that freight trains transport your goods along the rails. You will need to arrange a way to deliver your goods from your business to the station and from the station to your client.

Freight trains offer you an environmentally friendly mode of transportation that is more fuel efficient, cost effective and has lower air emissions than semi trucks. Freight railroads offer you cargo trains to haul anything from grain, to stone, to coal, to corn, to ethanol/biofuels and more.

Rail freight rates are less expensive than trucking or flying your product. You can choose any size line from Class I, regional, down to local. In today’s industry, regardless if you are a local farmer or a major manufacturer, freight train shipping may give you a competitive and reliable transportation solution.

To accommodate your gear that is hitting the rails:

1. Find freight trains that run in your area to your point of destination, or to a hub that connects to your destination.

2. Find rail freight rates that fit your budget.

3. Make arrangements to transload your product from truck to rail, and then again from rail to truck after it has hit its destination.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Go big on your cargo trains

You can find 7 Class I rail freight companies that run through the U.S.

I recommend: You can find freight trains information on the major lines that haul gear in the US, such as BNSF Railway (BNSF), CSX Corporation, Inc (CSX), Canadian National Railway (CN), Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), Kansas City Southern (KCS) and Union Pacific Railroad (UP). If you choose to go regional, check out the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association for trains in your area.

Choose companies that offer socially responsible freight trains and track records

UP offers you a 'cleaner and greener' railway choice. CSX offers you high priority on safety both for its employee and for the public. KCS represents for you a Responsible Care(R) company since 1999.

I recommend: Union Pacific offers you a company with a waste reduction and recycling program. Their initiatives that make them appealing to consumers like you including replacing wooden track ties with concrete ties, recycling used oil, recycling their outdated electronic equipment, as well as initiating spill prevention measures and frequent monitoring and inspections. Information is also available to you on their environmental stewardship policies. KCS’s involvement with Responsible Care® means for you that they have made a commitment along with other companies to improve their health, safety and environmental performance.

Consider a broker to help you with the logistics

Thankfully, I had help arranging the transportation of my card line. My sales rep brokered the railroad freight rates as well as the transloading logistics. She helped me with the freight trains information that I was unaware of because I hadn't experienced train as a mode of product transportation before.

I recommend: Look for a train broker like DSA to help you negotiate your rail freight costs and transportation logistics.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Allow yourself ample time if you plan to ship via train.
• •  Find out if you need additional insurance in addition to your railroad freight rates for your product while in transit.

As a business owner you know the importance of an affordable and reliable way to ship your products, and shipping by various cargo trains is often the best choice for your company. Freight trains offer a dependable service for business owners of all sizes. Whether you’re looking into rail freight rates for the first time or you have used freight trains for years, the right freight trains education and training is essential for your company’s success.

When you are educating yourself on freight train shipping and railroad freight prices, remember to find your information from a variety of sources. The best sources offer freight trains education and information about rail freight charges. When looking for these sources, keep in mind:

1. Rail freight charges are the most accurate when quoted by a railroad company.

2. General freight trains information and reviews will be helpful in your research.

3. You can use the government as a resource for freight train shipping information.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Seek out rail freight charges and information from trusted railroad companies

The best way to learn about freight trains and freight train shipping is through contact with trusted railroad companies. These companies offer tutorials and online educational materials just for customers like you.

I recommend: Union Pacific offers a shipping tutorial for new customers. Its site also includes contact information to find the current rail freight costs. For free reference guides, check out BNSF Railway or Norfolk Southern.

Find general freight trains information from dependable industry sources

Definitions of freight trains information and reviews of freight train shipping are both ideal sources for learning about freight trains. The best railroad freight prices can also usually be found on these informational sites.

I recommend: Check out The Association of American Railroads for information about freight shipping methods. The site also includes links to reports and other informational resources. Kansas City Southern offers information about freight shipping methods, and how to ship across various borders.

Explore the freight trains information with the right federal sources

If you don't have time to deal with gathering information about freight railroads yourself, consider using a government resource. Federal government resources include facts about all aspects of the freight shipping process, from the beginning to the end. They are the ideal tool for business owners who do not have the time to deal with individual railroad companies.

I recommend: The Federal Railroad Administration offers information about rail transport areas around the country. Check out NationalAtlas.gov for additional help with shipping products via a freight train.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure to check the current railroad freight rates with your local railroad company. It will also be able to answer any questions that you and your staff may have about the rail freight process.

In a world where technology surges ahead at the speed of sound, reliable freight trains remain the most economical means of overland transport for everything from agricultural supplies and equipment to industrial materials and finished products. This list of basic key terms will help you get up to speed with the railway systems in North America. Please note that several of the main United States rail lines run into Canadian territory, and vice versa.

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Class I

Class I railroads are defined as having in excess of 319.3 million dollar annual operating budgets. You may also see references to Class II and III railroads, which are designations for smaller, regional lines.

I recommend: American-Rails.com defines Class I, II and III railroads and explains the criteria for being a Class I railroad.

Hub

A rail or railway hub is like a transit center through which more than one rail line connects. Freight can be transferred from train to train at a railway hub to help it reach its appropriate destination.

I recommend: Track Twenty-Nine examines the history and context of the Atlanta rail hub.

Transload

Transloading refers to the process of shifting material from one mode of conveyance to another. In this context, transloading is what is done as your merchandise is moved from the truck that took it to the rail depot onto the freight train. The merchandise, or industrial material, will then be transloaded from the railcar back to a truck from the destination depot, and transported to its final destination.

I recommend: The BNSF Railway Company explains the transloading process, complete with illustrations.

Regional rails

Much like regional airlines, regional rails or regional freight services consist of smaller, shorter rail lines that operate inside specific regions of the country. Sometimes regional rail lines may be referred to as commuter rails as well.

I recommend: The North Carolina Railroad Company defines the terms regional rail and commuter rail.

Tier standards

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has five tiers of emissions standards for locomotives, designated as tiers 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4.

I recommend: DieselNet explains the differences between each of the EPA's different tiered standards and gives specifics about each standard.

Train broker

A train broker or freight broker is an agent or company of agents with the expertise to handle all your logistics for you. They organize and expedite the planning and loading of your shipments onto freight trains, leaving you free to allocate your company resources to other duties.

I recommend: Distribution Services of America (DSA) gives an in-depth explanation of why a train broker or freight broker may be useful to your company.