HOW RAIL WORKS Freight Rail Handbook While a railroad’s sole purpose is to transport goods from one location to another, the most important thing to remember is that a number of variables affect each situation. Along the country’s various railroad networks, track systems and short line operations, there is a host of factors that, when taken into careful consideration, determine the unique plan and process for each individual shipment. Who conducts a shipment, what product is being transported, and where and when the cargo is being shipped are just some of the factors that will influence how rail works. Here, you’ll read about the way a rail system runs in the most general sense, starting with the first step in a common three-step transport process. The “How it Works” sections of this guide will outline major concepts of railroad shipment related to each step along the way. STEP ONE: ESTABLISHING A LOCATION FROM WHICH TO START NEW RAIL SERVICE. A customer with plans to ship goods via rail must find or build a location on a railroad’s network. In some cases, a pre-approved site may be available, while in others, an original site-establishing plan may be required. HOW IT WORKS - Merchandise vs. Intermodal: Which network is required? Like many railroad development teams, the CSX Regional Development department offers solutions for an exclusively merchandise network. Merchandise networks are distinct from intermodal networks in a couple of ways. An intermodal network transports strictly containers via truck and rail, and ships from a manufacturer to a variety of distribution centers and retail locations. Intermodal containers are loaded directly onto railroad “flatcars” to and from special intermodal ramp locations that are placed in strategic areas within the railroad network. The containers’ “first mile and last mile” is delivered by a truck. These terminals have been shown to be attractive locations for companies in the distribution warehouse business. Intermodal trains are visually distinguished as very long trains carrying single or double-stacked containers. They are often pictured arriving or leaving the nation’s marine ports, using cranes to load and unload the container boxes. Customers needing intermodal services can be referred to CSXT’s Intermodal department. A merchandise network, on the other hand, connects more than 5,000 different producers of merchandise directly to receivers 100% via a rail system. These trains may include mixed goods such as forest and lumber products, automobiles, steel products, agricultural products, aggregates, plastics, chemicals, and many others. CSX’s Regional Development department deals exclusively with this merchandise network.