Eight Unbelievable Facts About America’s Freight Railroads

Supporting the world’s largest economy is no small task. Every day, thousands of customers rely upon American freight railroads to safely and efficiently transport everything from the food on your table to the energy resources that power your home. What does it take to keep America’s economy moving 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year?

60 football fields: The length of the longest freight train in American history

4 American time zones: First established by freight railroads in 1883

107.3 billion pounds of steel: The amount of steel contained in America’s freight rail network

6,667 Eiffel Towers: Could be built with all that steel

489.4 million railroad ties: The number of railroad ties maintained by Class I freight railroads

5.6 trips around the Earth: The length of America’s freight rail network laid end-to-end

473 miles: How far a freight train can move a ton of freight on one gallon of fuel

75 percent: The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions achieved by moving freight by rail instead of truck

You might also likeWant to see what freight rail is moving for America?Check our our Rail Traffic Data on AAR.org

Further Reading

Ever Wonder What Fits in One Rail Car?

Freight rail moves a staggering volume of goods anually. Take a closer look to understand the industry’s full impact

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Helping America Compete – And Win

American freight rail rates are lower than those in China, Germany and Japan.

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