An intermodal flatcar with a depressed center section (the well) that allows stacking two 20- or 40-foot containers vertically, known as double-stack operation. Double-stacking roughly doubles the payload per train and reduces cost per container. Well cars are typically articulated in sets of five or more to reduce weight and the number of inter-car connections.
A railcar with a flat deck and no sides or roof, used for oversized or heavy loads such as machinery, lumber, steel beams, and military equipment. Flatcars include standard, bulkhead, center-beam, and well-car variants. They are also the base platform for trailer-on-flatcar (TOFC) intermodal service.
An intermodal service in which ISO or domestic containers are loaded onto well cars or flatcars, often double-stacked, for the rail portion of a move. COFC is the dominant form of intermodal rail service in North America and enables double-stack efficiency. Containers are transferred between trucks and trains at intermodal terminals.
A standardized steel box (typically 20, 40, 45, 48, or 53 feet in length) that can be transferred between ships, trains, and trucks without unloading the contents. Containers conform to ISO or domestic standards and are the fundamental unit of intermodal logistics. Their standardization revolutionized global freight economics.
A multi-unit rail car in which adjacent car sections share a common truck rather than each section having its own full set of trucks. Articulation reduces the number of trucks, lowers tare weight, and improves ride quality. Well-car sets and some intermodal platforms are commonly articulated in five- or six-unit sets.
A high-priority train carrying intermodal containers or trailers on flatcars, typically operating on expedited schedules to compete with long-haul trucking. Intermodal trains generally run at higher speeds and have priority over manifest trains in most railroad operating plans. They serve as the interface between the rail and trucking networks.