12 Train Facts You Might Not Know
Learn 12 fun facts about trains, including how much locomotives weigh, how many truckloads can fit in a rail car and how trains are beneficial to the environment
Trains help ship the goods we rely on every day, from cars to clothing to lumber and so much more. Most people (except rail fans!) don’t have much of an interest in trains beyond enjoying the items they ship. But trains have cool tech, environmental benefits, and even help reduce highway traffic. So, while you may not think trains are so interesting now, these 12 railroad facts may change your mind.
1. Rail cars are far bigger than truck trailers
The first train fact on the list is how one rail car can hold three to four truckloads worth of freight. That means a single train could carry the same amount of freight as 300 trucks!
What does that look like in terms of weight? Most rail cars can have a gross weight (the total weight of the load, including the weight of the rail car itself) of up to 286,000 pounds. Heavy axle rail cars can have a gross weight of up to 315,000 pounds. By comparison, the federal gross vehicle weight limit for trucks traveling on the interstate is 80,000 pounds.
2. Railroads help reduce congestion on U.S. highways
Because rail cars can hold three to four truckloads of freight, just one train can take more than 300 trucks off the road. Think about what happens when you multiply that number by a year’s worth of shipments – that’s a lot of trucks! The result is reduced congestion on already overcrowded highways, less wear and tear on bridges and roadways, and a lessened burden on the taxpayers who pay to maintain them.
Here’s just one example: Every autorack of electric vehicles (EVs) shipped by rail removes an average of 1.2 trucks from the highway. In 2020, Union Pacific’s EV shipments alone took nearly 9,600 trucks off the nation’s congested highways.
3. On average, freight railroads spend six times more on capital expenditures as a percentage of revenue than the average U.S. manufacturer
In the U.S., roadways are built and maintained using taxpayer dollars. The same is not true for the vast majority of railroad tracks. America’s freight railroads own, build, maintain, operate and pay for their infrastructure without relying on government assistance.
In fact, between 1980 and 2020, America’s freight railroads spent nearly $740 billion on capital expenditures and maintenance expenses. That means, on average, railroads spent approximately $25 billion a year on the locomotives, freight cars, tracks, bridges, tunnels, and other infrastructure and equipment required to keep rail shipments moving safely and efficiently. Not only is this a fun fact about trains; it also saves taxpayers money!
4. Trains are the most environmentally responsible way to ship freight by land
On average, railroads are three to four times more fuel efficient than trucks on a ton-mile basis. Railroads can move one ton of freight more than 480 miles on a single gallon of fuel, generating a carbon footprint up to 75% less than trucks and making them the most fuel-efficient way to move freight over land.
Better fuel efficiency equates to fewer emissions. So while railroads move 40% of U.S. freight, they are only responsible for 2.1% of U.S. transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and just 0.5% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
What does using a more fuel-efficient way to ship freight look like? If 10% of the freight shipped by the largest trucks were moved by rail instead, it would cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 17 million tons each year — the equivalent of removing 3.35 million cars from our highways.
5. Locomotives can process a billion data points per second
Tier 4 locomotives are equipped with super computers that allow them to process massive amounts of data that allow them to improve operational and fuel efficiency. The units have 15 million lines of computer code, five times that of its predecessor.
"Tier 4" refers to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission-level standard that went into effect for new locomotives on January 1, 2015. Tier 4 locomotives earned their name because they comply with these emissions standards and reduce emissions by 90 percent compared to locomotives manufactured before the year 2000. This makes them the most fuel-efficient locomotives to date.
6. Drones help run the railroad
Perhaps one of the coolest train facts is that the railroad industry uses drones. In order to run a safe railroad, tracks must be in good shape. Drones help get the job done. They do so by flying over rail yards and around bridges, allowing ground-penetrating radar and wayside sensors to identify possible track defects.
That’s not the only technology making the railroad safer. Locomotives equipped with Positive Train Control (PTC) systems have on-board computer software that automatically stops a train in certain instances to reduce specific types of human-caused errors.
7. Trains have “cruise control”
Locomotives use energy management systems that take into account the topography of the land, the length of the train, and the weight of the train and its cars (tonnage) to optimally apply power and speed to the train. In other words, energy management systems are a lot like cruise control, as they use throttle (like applying the gas pedal in your car), coasting and braking to save fuel. The result is a fuel savings of 3-5%. That may sound small, but when you consider that larger railroads consume more than a billion gallons of fuel every year, it makes a big impact…with the potential to save millions of gallons of fuel annually.
8. Rocket boosters can ship by rail
Actually, most anything can ship by rail, but rocket boosters just happen to be one of the most interesting.
When NASA needed to ship rocket boosters from a manufacturing facility in Utah to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its Artemis I mission, they used rail to make it happen. The two massive rocket boosters consisted of 10 13-foot wide and 32-foot-long segments weighing 180 tons each.
The historic shipment that launched on June 15, 2020, involved specialized rail cars, multiple railroads and lots of planning. But on June 15, 2020, the rocket boosters arrived safely by rail.
9. The railroad has its own language
Piggy backs. Demurrage. Lading. Those aren’t words most people use every day, but they are terms used frequently in the rail industry. The railroad actually has a long list of words that may seem foreign to those outside of the industry. Even more specific, train dispatchers have their own language, too.
Check out this bilingual guide to railroad terms to see some of the most common ones. Or, take a deeper dive with these glossaries.
10. One locomotive weighs about as much as 108 hippos
Tier 4 locomotives weigh a whopping 432,000 pounds — the same as 108 hippos weighing in at 4,000 pounds each. These 6-axle engines have 4,400 traction horsepower and can reach a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour pulling thousands of tons of freight.
11. More than 600 railroads operate in the United States
Freight rail shipments in the United States travel on seven Class I railroads (the largest railroads, five of which are U.S. based and two that are based in Canada but have tracks in the States) and approximately 630 Class II and III short line railroads (smaller railroads). Class I railroads operate over approximately 92,000 route miles in 47 states and short lines operate over approximately 45,000 route miles in 49 states.
12. Freight railroads haul about 1.7 billion tons each year
Our final fun fact about trains reveals the amount of goods railroads haul in 12 months. In a typical year, freight railroads haul about 1.7 billion (with a “B”!) tons of raw materials and finished goods. Improved rail car designs are making it possible for trains to ship more product. In 2000 the average freight train hauled 2,923 tons; in 2020, that average rose to 3,187 tons.
Freight railroads are part of the integrated freight transportation network which, in addition to trains, relies on truck, air and barge. Together, this transportation system delivers about 61 tons of goods per American each year.
What’s your favorite train fact?
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Any time is train time!
Many drivers pay little or no attention at highway-rail crossings they drive across day after day because they never see a train there. They don't realize that freight trains do not run on set schedules and can be anywhere at any time going in any direction! At all crossings, and especially those you are most familiar with-----ALWAYS EXPECT A TRAIN!
Trains can't swerve!
When locomotive engineers see a vehicle or person on the tracks in the path of their train, they can't swerve out of the way-----there's no steering wheel! The train simply follows the tracks. Engineers can only sound the warning horn and apply the emergency brakes. A train in emergency braking will stop, but not in time to avoid this collision. (see the following safety fact to find out why).
Trains can't stop quickly!
Did you know that the average freight train consisting of 100 cars and weighing anywhere from 12 million to 20 million pounds takes over a mile to stop in emergency braking? That's right! That's the length of at least 18 football fields travelled before coming to a complete stop! Why such a long distance? There are brakes on every wheel, but it takes that long for all of those brakes to overcome the momentum of the tremendous weight pushing the train. Always yield the right of way to the train because the engineer cannot yield to you.
Physics 101!
The average family car weighs about 3,000 pounds. We all know what happens to a 12-ounce can of soda when a car runs over it. The can of soda is totally destroyed because the weight ratio of the car to the can is 4,000 to 1. The average freight train weighing 12 million pounds outweighs a car by the same ratio of 4,000 to 1. When a force of 12 million pounds hits a car, it will be destroyed-----just like the can of soda!
Don't Ignore the Warnings!
Some crossings are equipped with automatic warning devices such as flashing lights and bells and gates that activate when a train is approaching. These are active warning devices. Many other crossings only have passive warning signs to alert you of a possible hazard ahead. These include the "advance warning sign" (circular, yellow in color, with a black "X" and black letters "R-R") and the "pavement marking" (large "X" and "R-R" painted on the surface of the road). Amazingly, over half of all collisions occur at crossings equipped with the automatic signals. Why? It's because some drivers choose to drive around the gates or through the flashing red lights because they thought they could beat the train. (See the following safety fact to find out why many people misjudge the train!).
Beware of the optical illusion!
Because of the huge size of a locomotive (17 feet high and 10 feet wide), it appears to be travelling much slower than we think when viewed from a slight angle at the crossing. The combination of the size and angle create this illusion. The railroad tracks also add to the illusion. The parallel lines of the rails converge toward the horizon and fool our minds into thinking the train is farther away than it actually is. It is virtually impossible to accurately judge the speed of a train when these combinations of illusions are present. The train will be at the crossing before we expect it.
Don't drive into trains!
Did you know that in 25% of the crashes occurring at highway-rail crossings-----people actually run into the side of the train? It's true! Often, it's because the driver is going too fast for conditions, such as darkness, rainy weather or fog. Many drivers "overdrive their headlights". This means driving too fast to be able to stop in the distance illuminated by your headlights. By the time you see the train at the crossing, it's too late to avoid the crash. In other instances, there may be high levels of noise in the vehicle (loud radios, conversations, etc.), causing the driver to be inattentive and not hear the train's warning devices. Always remember to look and listen when you see the warning signs indicating a highway-rail crossing ahead!
Don't pass, stop or shift!
Drivers who pass vehicles when approaching a highway-rail crossing run the risk of a collision at the crossing. The vehicle being passed may obstruct a clear view of the tracks, or vehicle speed while passing may be too great to stop in time! Before starting across the tracks, be sure there's room to get completely across. Many drivers get trapped on the crossing, between other vehicles, and end up getting hit by a train or abandoning their car just in time to see it destroyed! Many crossings are on a raised surface higher than the roadway. Shifting gears with a manual transmission while going across this raised surface may cause the vehicle to stall on the tracks. Be sure to shift well ahead of or after the crossing to avoid getting stuck on the tracks!
Stalled on the tracks!?
If your vehicle is ever stalled or trapped on the tracks and a train is approaching, get yourself and all other passengers out-----fast! Don't try to take any other items with you. It may be a fatal mistake! Remember one very important thing when running away from the vehicle-----run away from the tracks at an angle in the direction of the approaching train. When the train strikes the vehicle it will send flying metal and glass ahead of and outward from the locomotive. Many people have been seriously injured and even killed because they ran the wrong direction! If a train is not approaching, be sure to get yourself and all other passengers out of the vehicle and to a safe location. Call the railroad 24-hour emergency number posted on the blue Emergency Notification System sign at the crossing, The railroad will do everything possible to stop any trains before they get to the crossing.
Watch for the second train!
When you're at a crossing with more than one track, don't try to cross immediately after the end of the train passes by. There may be another train approaching on the other track. Trains can hide other trains. Many crossing fatalities have resulted because of impatience or unawareness at multiple-track crossings. You will always know how many tracks are at the crossing by observing the familiar "crossbuck" (white X-shaped sign with black letters that spell "railroad crossing"). Directly below the crossbuck is a sign that indicates the number of tracks present if there are multiple tracks at the crossing. The crossbuck is also a regulatory sign that means "yield the right-of-way" to the train.
Dead wrong!
Many people think railroad tracks are public property. They use the tracks to gain access to recreation areas or they may even use the tracks as a recreation area. Others believe they have a right to use railroad property. The fact is, railroad tracks are private property and only persons authorized by the railroads can be on that property. Many thousands of people have died thinking they would be safe around railroad tracks. (The following paragraphs explain how poor choices often result in tragedies)
Use caution on bridges and tunnels!
Railroad bridges often times look like a convenient way to access a favorite fishing or hunting place. They don't look dangerous just standing there when no train is present. Besides being illegal, when you're up there and find yourself confronted with an approaching train, you suddenly have only two choices-----jump! or get hit by the train! You can't run fast because there's no sidewalk or walkway-----just empty spaces between the ties to trap your legs. Even if there is a maintenance walkway, it's not far enough from the rails to keep you from being struck by the train. Railroad tunnels pose similar hazards to railroad bridges. There's no sidewalk and you can't move fast. When a train is in the tunnel there is an average of 14 inches clearance from the side of the train to the walls of the tunnel-----not enough to safely fit a person!
Use caution as a pedestrian!
Railroad tracks are often used by joggers, hikers, people walking their pets, or as a pathway to ride motorcycles or other all-terrain vehicles plus a wide variety of other activities. What's the danger? These people are all concentrating on their own activities-----not a train! Many joggers, for example, run with headphones and never hear the engineer's warning. Motorized vehicles also drown out the locomotive horn. Many people that do hear the warning fail to escape the danger. A lot of them mistakenly think the train can stop for them. Some think the train coming up behind them is on the other track (like automobiles driving on the right hand side of the road). They don't know that trains run on any track in any direction at any time!