Editing Train (section)

== Freight trains ==
{{Main|Rail freight transport|Freight train}}
[[File:Union Pacific train (26862149220).jpg|thumb|A [[Union Pacific Railroad|Union Pacific]] freight train; [[Loading gauge#North America|high clearances]] enable [[Double-stack rail transport|double-stacked containers]] to be carried in [[well car]]s.]]Freight trains are dedicated to the transport of cargo (also known as goods), rather than people, and are made up of [[Freight car|freight cars or wagons]]. Longer freight trains typically operate between [[classification yard]]s, while local trains provide freight service between yards and individual loading and unloading points along railroad lines.<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 2007|title=Freight Railroad Realignment Feasibility Study Summary|url=https://www.ncpc.gov/docs/Freight_Railroad_Realignment_Study.pdf|access-date=November 8, 2021|website=[[National Capital Planning Commission]]|page=8}}</ref> Major origin or destination points for freight may instead be served by [[unit train]]s, which exclusively carry one type of cargo and move directly from the origin to the destination and back without any intermediate stops.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Johnson|first=Art|date=March 13, 1983|title=Unit train rolling fast in grain trade|work=[[The Spokesman-Review]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7dkvAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA31|access-date=November 5, 2021}}</ref>

Under the right circumstances, transporting freight by train is less expensive than other modes of transport, and also more energy efficient than transporting freight by road. In the United States, railroads on average moved a ton of freight {{convert|436|mi|km|sp=us|order=flip}} per gallon of fuel, as of 2008, an efficiency four times greater than that of trucks.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jackson|first=Brooks|date=2008-07-01|title=Fuel Efficient Freight Trains?|url=https://www.factcheck.org/2008/07/fuel-efficient-freight-trains/|access-date=2021-11-01|website=FactCheck.org|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="freight">{{Cite web|title=Freight Rail Overview {{!}} FRA|url=https://railroads.dot.gov/rail-network-development/freight-rail-overview|access-date=2021-11-01|website=railroads.dot.gov}}</ref> The [[Environmental and Energy Study Institute]] estimates that train transportation of freight is between 1.9 and 5.5 times more efficient than by truck, and also generates significantly less pollution.<ref name="electrification">{{Cite web|last=Nunno|first=Richard|date=May 30, 2018|title=Electrification of U.S. Railways: Pie in the Sky, or Realistic Goal? {{!}} Article {{!}} EESI|url=https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/electrification-of-u.s.-railways-pie-in-the-sky-or-realistic-goal|access-date=2021-11-01|website=www.eesi.org}}</ref> Rail freight is most economic when goods are being carried in bulk and over large distances, but it is less suited to short distances and small loads.<ref name="freight" /> With the advent of [[containerization]], freight rail has become part of an [[Intermodal freight transport|intermodal freight network]] linked with trucking and [[container ship]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stagl|first=Jeff|date=June 2008|title=Rail Insider-From dieselization to computerization to consolidation, freight railroads have made industry-shaping strides|url=https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/article/From-dieselization-to-computerization-to-consolidation-freight-railroads-have-made-industry-shaping-strides--17007|access-date=2021-11-06|website=Progressive Railroading|language=en}}</ref>

The main disadvantage of rail freight is its lack of flexibility and for this reason, rail has lost much of the freight business to [[road transport|road competition]]. Many governments are trying to encourage more freight back on to trains because of the community benefits that it would bring.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017|title=Benefits of using Rail Freight|url=https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/33630/transport-scotland-rail-freight-guide-web.pdf|access-date=November 5, 2021|website=Transport Scotland}}</ref>