The total elapsed time a railcar or intermodal unit spends at a terminal, yard, or customer facility without moving toward its destination. Excessive dwell time reduces network velocity and car utilization. Railroads track dwell as a key performance indicator alongside train speed.
A charge assessed by a railroad against a shipper or consignee for detaining a railcar beyond the allowed free time at a loading or unloading facility. Demurrage incentivizes rapid car turnover and compensates the railroad for lost car utility. It is distinct from detention, which applies to equipment held at non-railroad locations.
A large rail facility where cars from inbound trains are sorted and grouped by destination to build outbound trains. Cars may be sorted using hump switching, flat switching, or a combination of both. Classification yards are the central nodes of the carload network.
A compensation system under which a railroad pays a daily or mileage-based fee to the car owner when using foreign-owned or privately owned equipment. Car hire rates are established under AAR rules and are intended to recover the owner's fixed and variable car costs. The system balances car supply across the national rail network.
A key railroad operating metric measuring the average speed of freight cars across the network, typically expressed in miles per day. Higher velocity means cars are spending less time dwelling in yards and more time moving, improving asset utilization and customer service. Railroads publish weekly velocity statistics as part of their surface transportation board performance data.