A short section of railroad track that branches off a mainline or branch line to serve a single industrial customer. Industrial spurs are the physical connection between the railroad network and a manufacturing plant, warehouse, or processing facility. They are often owned by the railroad and maintained under a spur agreement.
A railroad track owned or leased by a shipper or industry that connects their facility to the mainline or branch line, providing direct rail loading and unloading capability. Private sidings are the foundation of the carload business and give shippers dedicated rail access. Construction and maintenance of private sidings are typically the shipper's responsibility.
A railroad-owned track at a public facility where multiple shippers can load or unload cars that do not have private sidings. Team tracks provide rail access to small shippers who lack the volume to justify a private siding. They are increasingly rare as freight has shifted to carload and intermodal service.
A secondary line that diverges from the mainline to serve agricultural, industrial, or rural areas with lower traffic density. Branch lines typically have lower speed limits, lighter rail, and less sophisticated signaling than mainlines. Many branch lines have been sold to short line railroads or abandoned as traffic declined.
A train that serves individual customers along a branch line or industrial corridor, spotting empty cars and pulling loaded cars. Locals are typically the only rail service connecting small shippers to the broader network. They operate at lower speeds and cover fewer miles per day than through or intermodal trains.