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114 A Railroad Full of Freight Cars
A Railroad Full of Freight Cars
Freight railroads are the lifeblood of the American economy. On a U.S. train journey, passengers will witness dozens of seemingly endless “freights.” Freight trains carry commodities to be either imported or exported. Ore, sulfur, lumber, grain, automobiles and coal are products commonly carried.
TfYou are more likely to see freight trains operated by UP (Union Pacific) or BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) crisscrossing the western United States. UP is the largest freight train company in North America, covering 23 states across the West, a good two- thirds of the United States; it has more than $11 billion in annual revenue. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is the second- largest railway in the States and operates in the Midwest and western United States.
Automobile Car
The advanced diesel locomotives have enough power to carry freights up to two miles long. Usually, the size of these trains exceeds the length of siding tracks enabling trains to pass each other. Inevitably, the mammoth freights are given priority and passenger trains must wait on siding tracks until the tracks are clear to continue. Here are some of the types of freight cars you may see on your journey.
This type of open train car carries (usually shiny new) automobiles.
Box Car
The most common car found on freight trains, the box car has sliding doors on either side, enclosing cargo that cannot be exposed to the elements.