Identify Train Cars

What are the Different Types of Train Cars?

Boxcar – Carries freight in crates or pallets. Some are refrigerated and carry fruit and vegetables.












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Passenger Car – Carries people.











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Autorack – Carries finished vehicles, such as trucks, cars, and SUVs.












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Centerbeam – Carries bundled goods, such as lumber, fence posts, and other building supplies.









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Covered Hopper – Carries free-flowing freight, such as wheat, soda ash, rice, and sand.










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Open Hopper – Carries free-flowing freight which doesn’t need to be protected from weather, such as coal, coke, ores and gravel.










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Gondola – Carries heavy, bulky items, such as scrap metal, steel, copper, iron, coal and ore.










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Flat Car – Carries pipe, rail, steel plate, tractors, tanks,and logs.











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Tank Car – Carries liquids such as, chemicals, corn syrup, ethanol, molasses, water, oil, gas and diesel fuel.










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Caboose – Rear end car housing crew quarters and offices. Rarely seen past the 1980’s due to computerization replacing some train roles.









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Rotary Snowplow – Mechanical snow removal machine used in regions with heavy winters.









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Maintenance vehicles – Various unique specialty railroad cars that areused in the repair and construction or railroad tracks.











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