What Does A Train Consist Of?

Washington, D.C. —While most people can identify the locomotive on a train, dedicated railfans have the ability to scout a train and determine the commodities in each passing railcar just by looking at the shape of the car. How do they know?

For starters, perhaps the most literal train term and one of the least known is consist. As in, a train consists of multiple railcars, which when connected are referred to as that train’s consist. A single consist is made up of any number of cars, depending on demand, location, and the type of goods being shipped.

As shipper needs have evolved, so too have railcars. Today, if there’s a product, chances are railroads have a way to ship it. Countless innovations have been implemented since B&O railroad—the first common carrier railroad in the U.S.—opened in 1827. Long-time railfans have seen the retirement of the caboose, as well as technological improvements that have revolutionized the industry. The flatcars in consists today are an updated, modernized version of the cars in use since B&O ran its first trains. The chronology of rail car evolution shows how railroads continuously respond to the needs of forward-thinking businesses and shippers all across the country. Let’s take a look at some of the most important innovations in railcar design.

 

The Caboose

Second only to the locomotive in fame, cabooses are the “gone but not forgotten” iconic railcar. While their bright red color was known to signal the end of a passing train, cabooses served as both conductor offices and a vantage point to manually monitor safety on the tracks until the 1980s. As radio transmission evolved and railroads developed more advanced safety monitors, the caboose became obsolete. Today, they are symbols of a previous age of railroading.

 

Flatcars

The oldest type of railcar, flatcars are a simple design best used for bulky freight that does not need to be protected from the open air and weather conditions. Various types of flatcars carry a broad range of products including farm equipment, logs, pipe, military vehicles and wind turbine blades. Flatcars have also been modified to carry both intermodal freight – goods that move by truck trailer or shipping container as well as by rail – and automobiles. (See well cars and autoracks below.)

 

Gondolas

Gondolas are the first railcar innovation still in use today. Affectionately called “gons” by railfans, gondola railcars are appropriately named for their boat-like shape. They were designed to ship heavy bulk commodities that need to be contained but do not need to be protected from the elements. Today they are used to carry items like scrap metal, aggregates or primary steel products.

 

Hoppers

In some ways, a hopper may look like a larger gondola, but they have angled or sloped chutes that help empty their cargo. The trapezoidal, drop-bottom hoppers are so called because they resemble the funnels used in grain mills, also called hoppers, that shake with a “hopping motion.” Most often used for loose bulk materials like grain, ore and coal, hoppers today can either be covered with a roof or open at the top.

 

Boxcars

One of the most famous railcars, the boxcar answered a need for a covered rail car to protect goods that must be kept dry. These icons were used to haul anything that could fit through the side doors. Until the 1960s, this was the most common type of railcar in use due to its simple, easy design and protection from the elements. The decrease in boxcar use today is due in part to the development of the standardized shipping container, which is easier to load and transfer between locations.

 

Tank cars

Designed to carry bulk, liquid or gaseous freight, tank cars carry everything from chemical or petroleum-based commodities to food-based products like corn syrup as well as chlorine used to treat drinking water. Tank car standards continue to evolve to ensure the safe transport of the goods they carry. For example, the 2015 FAST Act added new standards to enhance the safety of tank cars carrying hazmat. The federal government requires railroads to carry hazmat under a “common carrier” obligation and most tank cars are owned by rail customers rather than the railroads themselves. The newer DOT-117 tank car’s thicker steel jacket and protected top fittings, for example, help to protect the tank shell from puncture during an incident. More than 99.999% of all tank cars reach their destination safely.

 

Reefers

An impressive technological development in rail is the refrigerated railcar, or reefer. In the 1800s, shippers used insulation and ice packed into boxcars in order to ship perishable items across the country. This practice gave way to electric reefers in the 1950s. Reefers have gone in and out of popularity due to their specialization. Over the past 20 years, the popularity of reefers has increased, as shippers see the safety and cost benefits of rail transport over long-haul trucking.

 

Well cars

Also known as double-stack cars, well cars are best understood as a specialized development from flatcars. So called for their lower middle, well cars were developed to transport increased percentages of intermodal freight while still staying beneath bridge and tunnel clearances. The well shape is better equipped to handle heavier freight, and to help shippers transport freight more efficiently.

 

Autoracks

An evolved box car, autoracks are a specialty railcar designed to streamline the loading and transportation of automobiles. With the help of a loading ramp, autoracks can contain two or three racks of autos while protecting them from the elements. Early automobiles were specifically designed to fit into boxcars, but as industry demands changed, shippers developed autocars designed to fit any car customer’s demand. Railroads today move nearly 75% of America’s new cars and light trucks.

 

In Summary: What’s next?

Although it may not be outwardly obvious, even the most simple, unspecialized railcars of today are highly engineered, continuously improved versions of their forbears. The car types described above are the ones in most common use today, and the ones you can spot at rail crossings. Less evident are the specialized, lighter weight, higher strength and more durable materials they’re built from, which have been a key factor in freight rail safety, productivity and efficiency improvements.  However, not all specializations made to railcars last. As we all know, the famous caboose has seen its final days of operation. The self-explanatory cattle cars (right) had their moments of glory, but ultimately were phased out.

Freight railroads are constantly monitoring consumer needs. Railcar innovations are just one of many ways railroads have continued chugging along through centuries of American progress.

 

Washington, D.C. — As the novel coronavirus impacts communities all across the nation, the importance of the global supply chain has come into even clearer focus. An integrated network of planes, trains, ships and trucks deliver, on average, 57 tons of goods per American each year. The entire logistics network is working to keep shelves stocked and deliver necessary goods.

As you know, freight railroads deliver raw materials and goods of all kinds, including those essential to preserving public health and our well-being. Here’s a closer look at how they’re managing this task today in the face of COVID-19 and what exactly trains are carrying to keep the store shelves stocked and beyond.

1. Serving as a “Community Lifeline”

Freight railroads are among the “Community Lifeline” sectors designated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency because they are necessary to enabling the continuous operation of critical government and business functions and are considered essential to human health, safety and economic security.

This designation means that while restrictions in certain states, including shelter-in-place actions or non-essential business closures, restrict social and economic activity, rail workers, suppliers and contractors are typically designated as “essential critical infrastructure workers.”

2. Moving Amber Waves of Grain

Rail is an agricultural lifeline for grown products, transporting 1.6 million carloads of food products and nearly 1.5 million carloads of grain annually. Right now, as always, railroads are originating about 60,000 carloads of food and agricultural products each week. This includes both perishable items—moved in refrigerated cars called “reefers”—and non-perishable goods like pasta, canned goods, flour and even pet food.

Further, as North American farmers begin planting this spring to grow crops needed for fall and beyond, freight rail will remain intrinsic to the process, moving everything from farm equipment to agricultural chemicals and finished fertilizers. Last year, railroads moved 2.4 million carloads of fertilizers and other chemicals crucial to farming.

3. Hauling Consumer Essentials and Beyond

Rail intermodal—the transportation of shipping containers and truck trailers by rail—might not be a household term but it is a system that keeps your household stocked. Thousands of consumer goods, including a large number of products sold at retailers like Target or Walmart, arrive with the help of rail intermodal. All those items that have become even more important as we quarantine and practice social distancing—from toilet paper to cleaning products to the toys we’re using to entertain our kids—have likely traveled by rail at some point on their journey to your home.

And while you know by now that trains deliver raw materials and goods of all kinds, you might not realize that this includes things like the chemicals required for medicines and food packaging, chlorine-based disinfectants for water, energy products that support electricity demands, and municipal waste.

 

4. Protecting Rail Workers

Like medical professionals and grocery store clerks, supply chain employees—from truck drivers to the rail workers involved in every aspect of managing the 137,000-mile U.S. rail network—are front-line personnel tirelessly working to deliver what we need during this pandemic.

To keep the trains running and ensure they protect rail employees during this national crisis, railroad companies are taking a number of steps, including activating secondary dispatch and operations locations as well restricting access to mission-critical locations to only essential staff and transitioning some employees to telework to reduce density at work locations.

For the nearly 150,000 skilled professionals—including train, engine and yardman (TE&Y) crafts—keeping the network running, railroads are expanding the frequency of cleaning and sanitation; restricting air travel; directing employees to stay home when sick; providing timely, accurate information about how to protect themselves and their families; and implementing CDC-recommended effective hygiene and spatial distancing practices.

5. Answering the Call of Duty

The history of railroads in America is the history of America’s development, including national and international crises from previous pandemics to economic depressions, natural disasters and two world wars. Freight railroads have played important roles in the responses to national tragedies like 9/11 and Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy and Matthew in recent years. And, from the time of the Civil War, in fact, railroads have been essential to wartime efforts, even carrying the wounded on some of the first hospital cars improvised from rolling stock—a tradition carried on during World War II.

Though we’re facing a different threat today, America’s freight railroads will continue to answer the call of duty.

“A patient is loaded into an Army hospital car.” Photo owned by NC Transportation Museum, https://www.nctrans.org/.

Phoenix, AZ – In a recent op-ed for the East Valley Tribune, Greater Phoenix Chamber President Todd Sanders highlighted the resolute importance of freight rail to the Arizona economy.

“When railroads spend their private dollars to deploy new technologies, add intermodal facilities, enhance track capacity, etc., it means Phoenix-area businesses can move more freight for less time, less money. Railroads also relieve the burden on taxpayer-funded roadways, cutting down on both congestion and pollution.”

Sanders notes that freight rail, which benefits many economic sectors in Arizona, hinges on balanced public policy. He warns that railroads’ economic regulator, the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB), should proceed with caution when it

“Policymakers should ensure that STB regulators continue allowing railroads to earn enough to reinvest and keep Phoenix economic arteries healthy. Their regulatory approach should also consider the larger transportation landscape and avoid favoring one mode of transport over another.

The freight railroad model is one that can serve our officials in D.C. well: avoid overregulation, promote infrastructure investment and ask infrastructure users to pay for what they use.”

Read the full Op-ed.

Detroit, MI – Dan Papineau, Director of Tax Policy & Regulatory Affairs at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, writes about how vital freight rail is to the Michigan economy in a new op-ed for The Detroit News. Papineau highlighted Michigan’s iconic auto industry as one that is no stranger to the benefits of rail.

“Rail has long played an outside role in moving Michigan’s auto industry, from the early 1900s and Henry Ford’s Highland Park assembly plant to today.

Freight trains today move 75% of the over 17 million new cars and light trucks purchased in the U.S. More than this, they’re involved in every stage of auto manufacturing, from hauling the raw iron ore and coke for steel to delivering finished auto parts. This amounted to 1.8 million rail carloads of vehicles and parts in 2018.”

Papineau emphasized the importance of balanced regulation in the freight rail industry. He urged legislators to look to history as a lesson in how smart public policy has helped U.S. freight railroads achieve record successes in safety, productivity and affordability.

“Federal and state policymakers in DC and Lansing should oppose any new policies that would uproot rail’s ability to continue investing at record levels. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the landmark Stagger Rail Act, signed by President Carter, which brought balanced economic regulation to freight rail. In short, it allowed railroads to run their businesses like other companies, setting rates and schedules without government overreach.”

Papineau cites the Staggers Act as a key reason rail shipper rates are 44% lower than they were in 1980. He closes with the reminder that in an ever-changing economy, infrastructure investment must persist.

Read the full Op-ed.

Washington, D.C. — While some constituents might view Capitol Hill with skepticism, research shows that citizen voices really do matter to policymakers. They want to hear from their constituents and understand the issues impacting folks back home. This reality is the foundation on which GoRail’s advocacy model is built. Through education, recruitment and mobilization, we work to convey the local freight rail story, through citizen voices, to the lawmakers making important rail policy decisions.

To help hone your understanding of the most effective advocacy strategies, here’s a breakdown of what works on Capitol Hill. These findings are based on research from the Congressional Management Foundation, an organization that we support and that works directly with citizen groups to educate them on how Congress works.

1. Direct constituent interactions have more influence on lawmakers’ decisions than other advocacy strategies.

Contrary to popular belief, listening to constituent voices is still the top priority for legislators. GoRail embraces the power of in-person constituent conversation, endeavoring to raise the voices of rail advocates up to their representatives, whether through direct contacts—letters, calls and emails—or in-person events like district meetings and rail facility tours. Our “Get on Board” advocacy toolkit provides advocates with contact information for our state directors as well as supplemental resources, including backgrounders and graphics, that they can use when contacting policymakers.

2. Congress places a high value on groups and citizens who have built relationships with the legislator and staff.

The more opportunities our advocates have to directly connect with legislators, the more effective our advocacy is. That is why GoRail participates in Railroad Day on Capitol Hill every year. Railroad Day gives local rail advocates a chance to continue to build and foster relationships with their federal legislators. When federal legislators make rail policy decisions, we want the voices of their citizens to ring loudly. Real people, who are speaking on behalf of the railroads that support their economies, local jobs, less congestion and roadway use, and cleaner skies.

3. Citizen advocates are influential and contribute to better public policy when they provide personalized and local information to Congress.

Not only do legislators want to hear from the people they serve, legislators also want to hear about the issues in their own front yard. A citizen advocate is best prepared to provide that personalized information when they have facts, knowledge and the policy issues at their fingertips. If they can show just how connected freight rail is to their local quality of life—from regional jobs to their daily commute to the historical origins of their community. The GoRail Advocacy Toolkit and Issues page are full of helpful information to make even the least-practiced advocate know what to focus on in order to sound like a rail pro.

4. Citizens have significant potential to enhance their advocacy skills and influence Congress.

Every citizen has their own impactful story that has the power to motivate and influence policymakers. Local voices and stories resonate the most strongly with legislators because of their proximity to the issue. Beyond the background information we provide in the GoRail toolkit, we hope that rail advocates will be confident in their own ability to speak up about their personal stories of how freight rail is improving quality of life in their communities. Effective advocacy does not always involve the perfect research study or statistic. Often, the research study is what gives clarity to an already well-told story.

Social Media Advocacy: Quick Tips

Social media—Twitter, Facebook and other platforms—is another modern tool for engaging with policymakers. If you’re in the social space and want to weigh in on an issue, keep these tips in mind:

  • Identify yourself as a constituent. Add your location (city and state) to your profile. Follow your legislators.
  • On Facebook? Badge it! Facebook features constituent badges that show up when you post about or comment on the posts of your government representatives. To get your “badge,” follow a few simple steps: 1) search “Town Hall” in Facebook, 2) Select “Town Hall: Look up your government representatives,” 3) Enter your home address, 4) Select the “On” option in the Constituent Badge drop down menu. Voila!
  • Personalize your message. Identify the issue. Explain why it matters to your community.
  • Be constructive. Avoid negativity in policymaker interactions. Give thanks where thanks is due.
  • Part of a group or coalition? Say So. Multiple messages from constituents affiliated with a specific group or cause are more likely to influence legislators.

These are the advocacy principles that we strive to keep in mind with all that we do. We hope to continue developing tools to help our rail advocates and their freight rail stories resonate with policymakers.

Washington, D.C. — Freight rail advocates from across the country are coming together on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 4 for Railroad Day 2020 — a day to talk rail with federal lawmakers and outline the policy priorities that will keep the freight rail network running on all cylinders in the years ahead.

If Railroad Day is new to you, here’s a quick video overview on what it is and why it’s important:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rndCIdR6hHc&feature=youtu.be

We know that direct, in-person input from constituents is one of the most effective ways to reach members of Congress on policy issues. This is what gives Railroad Day its impact — the size of the event, the geographical diversity of the participants, and the unified railroad industry message.

You, too, can join the chorus of voices calling for a strong freight rail network by amplifying their in-person message to policymakers via social media, especially Twitter. It’s as simple as sharing the #RailDay2020 hashtag with a pro-rail message and tagging your legislators (here’s a list of member of Congress Twitter handles).

To facilitate your Tweeting, find sample content and tips below.

Facts & Figures

Below are some facts and figures about the rail industry, simply hit “Click to Tweet” for a pre-made Twitter post. Pro-tip: tag your members of Congress! 

  • Hashtag: #RailDay2020
  • Class I railroads have spent an average of $68M DAILY on the nation’s 137,000-mile private rail network in recent years.
  • Short line railroads have invested $5+ billion since enactment of the 45G tax credit.
  • Freight railroads support about 1.1 million jobs across the country.
  • Recent years have been the safest ever for the rail industry, with the train accident rate down 10% since 2009.
  • Moving freight by rail instead of truck lowers greenhouse gas emissions by 75%.

Make Your Own Tweets

Below are example tweets where you can just fill in your member of Congress (MOC) and state. 

  • Thank you [tag MOC] for meeting w/ railroaders on #Railday2020 to discuss how freight railroads move America and [state] safely, efficiently and sustainably.
  • Railroads in [state] & across the U.S. are tech savvy — using Big Data, drones and ultrasound to enhance safety & efficiency. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020 http://bit.ly/2wOrrHh
  • Balanced rail regulations work: Shippers today can move 2x the amount of goods for about the same price they paid over 30 years ago. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020 http://bit.ly/3baF7vL
  • Freight railroads have privately spent an average of $68 million DAILY in recent years to maintain & modernize their 137,000-mile network, which creates a stronger [state] economy. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020
  • Moving freight by rail takes trucks off [state] roads, alleviating congestion and lessening the burden on our ailing infrastructure. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020 http://bit.ly/3baF7vL
  • #Infrastructure matters — #RailDay2020 focuses on how freight rail’s private spending supports safety, increased productivity, enhanced service & a stronger [state] economy. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020 http://bit.ly/3baF7vL
  • #RailDay2020 is a good time to highlight #economic importance of freight railroads, which support 1.1 million #jobs in [state] & across America. [tag MOC]
  • Interesting to learn more about freight rail’s #enviro cred during #RailDay2020. DYK freight railroads account for just 2% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions? [tag MOC] http://bit.ly/387UeV6

Retweet Us

You can also follow GoRail, the Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and retweet their #RailDay2020 posts.