Rail freight transport facts for kids
Rail freight transport is all about using trains to move goods and materials from one place to another. Unlike passenger trains that carry people, freight trains are designed to carry cargo. They can transport many different things, from huge amounts of raw materials to packed containers full of products. This way of moving goods is very important for businesses and for getting products to stores.
Contents
What is Rail Freight Transport?
Rail freight transport uses railroads and trains to move cargo. It does not carry human passengers. Trains can carry many different types of goods. This includes large amounts of materials, special containers, or general items.
What Do Freight Trains Carry?
Freight trains carry a wide variety of goods. These goods are often placed in special train cars.
Bulk Materials
Trains are great for moving large amounts of "bulk materials." These are things like coal, grain, oil, or minerals. These materials are usually loose and fill up entire train cars. For example, a long train might carry enough coal to power a city.
Intermodal Containers
You might see large metal boxes on trains. These are called "intermodal containers." They are very useful because they can be moved easily between trains, ships, and trucks. This means goods can travel from a factory, across an ocean, and then by train and truck to a store, all inside the same container.
General and Special Freight
Trains also carry "general freight." This means everyday products that fit into regular train cars. Sometimes, special train cars are needed for certain items. For example, cars are often transported on special open train cars. Very large or unusual items might also need custom-designed cars.
Why is Rail Freight Important?
Moving goods by train is a very efficient way to transport things. One freight train can carry as much as hundreds of trucks. This helps reduce traffic on roads and can be better for the environment. It's a key part of how products get from where they are made to where they are sold or used.
Images for kids
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A long grain train of the Union Pacific Railroad crossing a bridge in Washington state, United States
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Freight trains wait for departure in Zhengzhou, China
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Freight wagons filled with limestone await unloading, at sidings in Rugby, Warwickshire, England
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A container train in Germany
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Train in Arizona, with 20-, 40- and-53 foot containers double stacked in well cars
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Coal awaiting shipment to an electric generating plant in Germany
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Freight train on the Suihua–Jiamusi Railway in Yichun, Heilongjiang
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Mixed freight running downhill in Caliente, California
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Iron ore train in Mauritania
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Pacific National intermodal service from Perth in Western Australia
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A typical U.S. classification yard in Denver, Colorado. Intermodal terminal is on the right
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Freight train in Rostov Oblast, Russia
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Old type of steam-hauled freight train in 1964
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A container train passing through Jacksonville, Florida, with 53 ft containers used for shipments within North America
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A M250 series, multiple unit freight train running in Japan.
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