| A goods train or freight train is a group of goods | | | | distances. |
| wagons or freight cars hauled by a locomotive on a | | | | The increase in shipping, trucking and air freight |
| railway. This enables the transportation of cargo | | | | services has forced rail freight companies to change |
| between two places as a part of logistics chain. The | | | | their methods of operation. This would help them |
| trains might haul inter modal containers, bulk material, | | | | compete with other forms of freight services. In the |
| specialized freight or general freight in | | | | present scenario, majority of companies utilize a |
| purpose-designed cars. | | | | combination of transportation methods for shipping |
| If we consider in terms of ton-miles hauled per unit of | | | | their goods that includes the use of freight trains. This |
| energy consumed, rail transport is more efficient as | | | | makes sure that products are shipped as well as |
| compared to other means of transportation. | | | | received in a more quick and efficient manner. |
| Economies of scale are often realized when bulk | | | | The increasing concern about climate changes has |
| commodities are hauled over a long distance. | | | | made businesses realize that transportation by train is |
| However, rail freight is subject to transshipment | | | | an energy efficient method for shipment of goods. |
| expenses. At times, transshipment expenses exceed | | | | Therefore, the governments of many nations are |
| the operating cost of a train. Therefore, practices like | | | | encouraging the transportation of freight through trains. |
| containerization try to minimize these expenses. | | | | Not only is rail transport energy efficient, but would also |
| Moreover, bulk shipments are less affected by | | | | bring environmental benefits. |
| transshipment expenses. | | | | Despite a lot of benefits, rail freight suffers from a |
| Under suitable circumstances, transportation of freight | | | | disadvantage. Rail transport lacks the required flexibility. |
| through trains is more cost-effective than | | | | This is the reason why it has lost a major part of its |
| transportation of freight by road. You can make the | | | | freight business to road transport. Moreover, the |
| most out of rail freight services when bulk freight is | | | | shipment by rail is not as flexible as by highways. |
| carried over longer distances. However, it is less | | | | Therefore, majority of freight is being hauled by trucks, |
| suitable for shipments of small loads over shorter | | | | even over long distances. |