ABOUT US

Phone: 877-772-5772
Or check out their website at https://www.rrb.gov/ 

Your “first line” of contact is the PAL’s Marketing Department. Anyone in that Department will readily assist you. Refer to the Marketing Department’s contact listings under the “Contact Us” section of the website.

There are many industries not directly rail served which can still enjoy the benefits of rail transportation.

Team Tracks (available free of charge to the general public for loading and unloading of product to/from railcars) are located in many cities along the PAL.  Contact the PAL’s Marketing Department for further details.

Several transloads are served by the PAL.  These provide loading/unloading, warehousing, and trucking services between rail car and an industry.

Before 1981 most rail rates were established through rate bureaus.
Since the Staggers Act of 1981; however, rail carriers have basically had the freedom to price according to the market. Many “public” prices are found on each carrier’s website and these can be utilized for many movements. Confidential rates, however, are in many instances negotiated for competitive, volume movements by contacting the serving railroad’s Marketing Department.

Most rates are based upon (1) the product and volume to be shipped, (2) cost—which roughly corresponds with the distance moved, (3) equipment type, availability, and ownership, and (4) market conditions and competition. Railroad freight rates include the empty return of a rail car to the point of origin.

Of course. The PAL’s Marketing Department can assist you in determining the type and size of railcar you need and in securing that car for loading. The PAL’s Mechanical Department can be called upon for questions regarding proven and official loading methods and specifics.

All rail cars in Mexico, U.S.A. and Canada are listed in the “Equipment Register” and those operating on U.S. railroads must meet the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and federal government construction standards for safety and interlining (movement between railroads), and must be maintained to those standards.

The common freight cars are: box, flat, covered hopper, open top hopper, tank, and gondola, each costing from $40,000 for a standard railcar ordered in quantity to over $200,000 for a specialized tank car. Special cars include the heavy duty flat, refrigerated box, pneumatic and pressure differential covered hopper, auto rack flat, 90′ pole flat, 80′ high-cube boxcar, 24′ open top ore hopper, and many others.

All railcars are 9.5 feet wide, give or take 10 inches, and range from 24′ to 90′ in length. Most are 10 to 12 feet high—except for flat cars and gondolas usually have 3′ to 4′ high sides. Car height is measured from the floors of rail cars, which are 3.5′ to 4.5′ above the top of the rail.

Most rail cars load capacities range from 120,000 pounds (some boxcars and special cars for lighter commodities) to 200,000 pounds (most newer cars of all types). Some special tank cars and heavy duty flat cars for moving electrical transformers and equipment carry much more tonnage. The load capacity and empty tare weight is stenciled on the side of every railcar. Normal maximum gross weight (total weight of rail car and its contents) is 286,000 pounds.