Railroads move an incredible variety of products, and each type of freight requires a specific kind of railcar. Choosing the right railcar isn’t just about space — it’s about safety, efficiency, and ensuring your shipment arrives in top condition.
At the LAL family of railroads, we’ve been highlighting different railcars each week on social media, sharing spec sheets and examples of how they’re used. This guide brings those insights together in one place — a resource for shippers, site selectors, and anyone interested in how freight moves by rail.
Tank Cars
What they carry: Liquids such as chemicals, petroleum, food-grade oils, corn syrup, and ethanol.
Key features: Cylindrical design, pressure or non-pressure configurations, lined or unlined depending on contents.
Why it matters: Tank cars are essential for liquid bulk industries, allowing safe and efficient transport compared to thousands of truckloads.
Covered Hoppers
What they carry: Dry bulk commodities like grain, flour, sugar, cement, sand, and plastic pellets.
Key features: Sloped floors with bottom outlets for easy unloading, covered tops to protect from moisture.
Why it matters: Covered hoppers are the backbone of agricultural and industrial supply chains.
Open Hoppers
What they carry: Coal, aggregates, stone, and ores.
Key features: Open-top design with bottom discharge gates.
Why it matters: These heavy-duty cars are ideal for dense bulk materials.
Boxcars
What they carry: Paper, packaged goods, lumber, appliances, food products.
Key features: Enclosed with sliding doors, often equipped with insulation or load-securing systems.
Why it matters: One of the most versatile car types, offering protection from weather and theft.
Flatcars
What they carry: Large equipment, pipe, machinery, and oversized freight.
Key features: Open deck with no sides or roof.
Why it matters: Perfect for freight that can’t fit inside enclosed cars.
Centerbeam Flatcars
What they carry: Lumber, wallboard, and building materials.
Key features: Long flatcar with a central vertical support beam, designed for easy loading/unloading with forklifts.
Why it matters: Centerbeams make moving building products efficient and safe.
Gondolas
What they carry: Scrap metal, steel coils, aggregates, and other bulky freight.
Key features: Open-topped cars with low sides, unloaded with cranes or excavators.
Why it matters: Rugged and versatile for industrial commodities.
Refrigerated (Reefer) Cars
What they carry: Meat, dairy, frozen foods, produce.
Key features: Insulated and equipped with mechanical refrigeration units.
Why it matters: Critical for food supply chains and cold storage distribution.
Why This Matters for Shippers
Selecting the right railcar ensures freight is handled safely and efficiently. For businesses new to rail, understanding car types can unlock savings, improve supply chain reliability, and open new markets.
Want to see how railcars compare to trucks? Try our Railcar Specification Conversion Tool to explore capacities and equivalents.
