Washington, DC — As families across the country gather for Thanksgiving, much of what ends up on the table has already taken a trip—by train. From the grain that feeds the turkey to the flour in the pie crust, freight rail plays an essential role in delivering the season’s staples.
The Bird 🦃
Before that turkey hits the oven, it needs feed—and lots of it. U.S. railroads moved about 1.6 million carloads of grain in 2024, much of which supports livestock and poultry producers nationwide.
That grain helped fuel a turkey industry that raised around 200 million birds in 2024, producing 6.58 billion pounds of meat, according to USDA data.
The Sides 🥔🌽🫘
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, canned vegetables, beans—nearly every side dish starts in the field, supported by rail-moved fertilizer, farm supplies, and food products.
Each year, railroads move roughly 1.7 million carloads of food products and hundreds of thousands of fertilizer carloads, connecting farms, processors, and grocery stores across the country.
The Pie Course 🥧
Illinois leads the nation in pumpkin production, harvesting about 485 million pounds annually—roughly 70–80% of the canned pumpkin supply.
For the most part, the various sugar beet processing facilities are served by rail. The company U.S. Sugar even has its own rail system to move its cane crop, sugar, and other agricultural freight during harvest. How sweet is that!
From pumpkin fields to sugar factories, rail helps keep dessert traditions rolling.
The Drinks 🍺
From barley and malt to aluminum cans and finished beverages, rail supports every stage of the brewing process.
A single railcar of barley can produce around 94,000 gallons of beer, keeping Thanksgiving toasts and football watch parties well stocked.
Keeping the heat on and the shelves stocked 🔥
Railroads move the energy products and consumer goods that keep households running through the holiday season. Intermodal is the single largest rail freight category by volume, moving everything from packaged foods to household essentials in containers and trailers.
Railroads also transport key energy commodities including propane, butane, and other petroleum products that support home heating and cooking across large parts of the country.
Thanksgiving, Delivered 🚆
In a typical week, U.S. railroads move over 60,000 carloads of agricultural and food products. Add in the fertilizer, energy, and packaging materials that make it all possible, and it’s clear: rail helps deliver the ingredients of Thanksgiving long before the table is set.
