When you see a freight train passing through town, you might notice the number of railcars, but have you ever wondered what’s actually inside them?
Freight trains carry many of the raw materials, supplies, and finished products that keep businesses moving. From materials used in manufacturing to agricultural products and industrial goods, rail plays an important role in moving large quantities of products across the country.
For short line railroads like Pickens Railway, that work often starts much closer to home. Our 28.5-mile line in Anderson County helps connect local industries with the larger freight rail network, moving materials that businesses depend on every day.
So, What Do Freight Trains Carry?
The simple answer is: a lot of different things.
Freight railroads transport thousands of different commodities, and the materials carried by each railroad depend on the industries it serves. According to the Association of American Railroads, freight trains move everything from raw materials and agricultural products to finished goods and industrial products.
Some railcars may carry raw materials headed to a manufacturing facility. Others may transport products that are ready to be shipped to another location.
Here are some of the most common types of materials you’ll find moving by rail.
Raw Materials for Manufacturing
Manufacturing plants depend on a steady supply of raw materials, and rail is well suited for moving large quantities of these materials.
The Federal Railroad Administration notes that rail is particularly well suited for moving heavy freight over long distances, including industrial materials and commodities.
Depending on the industry, freight railcars can carry materials such as:
- Limestone
- Silica
- Wood pulp
- Plastics
- Synthetic rubber
- Rubber processing oil
- Paper products
These materials can become part of the products people and businesses use every day. Getting those materials where they need to go is an important part of keeping manufacturing operations running.
Agricultural and Farm Supplies
Railroads also play a role in agriculture by transporting supplies used by farmers and agricultural businesses. Farm supplies can include products such as fertilizer and other materials needed to support agricultural operations. Railroads also transport agricultural products such as grain and other food-related commodities.
The Association of American Railroads provides an overview of how freight rail supports agriculture by moving farm products, fertilizer, food, and other related goods.
Moving these products by rail allows large quantities to be transported efficiently over longer distances.
Paper and Wood Products
Paper and wood-related materials are another important category of freight.
Wood pulp, paper, and scrap paper can all move by rail, helping manufacturers and recycling operations receive the materials they need and move products or recyclable materials to their next destination.
These materials are part of a larger supply chain that connects raw materials, manufacturers, recycling facilities, and customers.
Plastics and Rubber Products
The plastics and rubber industries also rely on freight transportation to move materials between suppliers, manufacturers, and other facilities.
Pickens Railway handles commodities including plastics, synthetic rubber, and rubber processing oil. These materials are used in a wide range of manufacturing processes, making reliable transportation an important part of the supply chain.
Electrical and Industrial Equipment
Not everything transported by rail is a raw material.
Railroads can also move finished goods and industrial equipment, including electrical equipment used by businesses and manufacturers.
The ability to transport large or heavy loads makes freight rail a practical option for many types of industrial products. Major freight railroads such as CSX transport a wide range of commodities, including agricultural products, building materials, chemicals, food, metals, minerals, paper, pulp, and industrial products.
Why Move These Materials by Rail?
Many of the commodities transported by freight rail have something in common: they’re often heavy, bulky, or shipped in large quantities.
Railroads are designed to move significant amounts of freight at once. One train can carry the equivalent of many truckloads, allowing businesses to move large quantities of materials without putting every shipment on the highway.
Rail can also provide an important connection between local businesses and the broader transportation network.
That’s where short line railroads come in.
Where Short Line Railroads Fit In
Short line railroads often serve as the connection between individual businesses and larger Class I railroads.
A manufacturer may not have direct access to a major railroad network. A short line can provide that local connection, moving railcars between the customer’s facility and an interchange with a larger railroad.
This is sometimes referred to as the first mile and last mile of the freight rail network.
Pickens Railway provides that connection for industries in the Upstate. The railroad interchanges with Norfolk Southern in Anderson and receives CSX freight in Belton, providing customers with connections to the larger freight rail network.
What Moves on Pickens Railway?
Pickens Railway serves a variety of industrial customers and handles commodities including:
- Plastics
- Paper
- Scrap metal
- Wood pulp
- Limestone
- Silica
- Synthetic rubber
- Rubber processing oil
- Farm supplies
- Electrical equipment
These materials may not seem connected at first, but together they represent an important part of the manufacturing and industrial activity taking place across the Upstate.
Pickens Railway moves approximately 7,000 railcars each year, replacing more than 28,000 trucks on Upstate roads.
That means the work happening along our tracks has an impact beyond the railroad itself. Every railcar represents materials moving to or from a business, a manufacturing process, or another part of the supply chain.
The Freight Behind the Products We Use Every Day
The next time you see a freight train passing through the Upstate, take a closer look at the railcars. There’s a good chance they’re carrying something that plays a role in a much bigger process.
The materials moving by rail may become part of a manufactured product, supply a business, support agriculture, or make their way to another destination through the national freight network.
Freight rail may not always be something we think about, but it is an important part of keeping American industry moving. Here in the Upstate, Pickens Railway is proud to play a small but important role in that larger system.