U.S. Rail Shipping Routes and Freight Corridors
Reference documentation of the American freight rail network, covering Class I railroad operations, major shipping corridors, intermodal lanes, and the infrastructure connecting inland markets to coastal ports.
Class I Railroad Networks
Class I railroads, defined as carriers with annual operating revenues exceeding $900 million, operate the primary U.S. freight rail network. These seven carriers control approximately 69% of freight rail mileage and 94% of freight rail revenue.
Union Pacific Railroad
Key Corridors
Major Classification Yards
Primary Commodities
BNSF Railway
Key Corridors
Major Classification Yards
Primary Commodities
CSX Transportation
Key Corridors
Major Classification Yards
Primary Commodities
Norfolk Southern Railway
Key Corridors
Major Classification Yards
Primary Commodities
Canadian Pacific Kansas City
Key Corridors
Major Classification Yards
Primary Commodities
Canadian National Railway (U.S.)
Key Corridors
Major Classification Yards
Primary Commodities
Major Freight Rail Corridors
U.S. rail freight moves through established corridor systems connecting production regions, consumption centers, and port facilities. These corridors represent the highest-density freight lanes in the national rail network.
Transcontinental Corridors (East-West)
Eastern Corridors
North-South Corridors
Coal & Bulk Corridors
Major Classification Yards
Classification yards are the rail network's sorting facilities, where cars are assembled into trains based on destination. These massive facilities use hump yards, flat switching, and automated car identification to route thousands of cars daily.
Bailey Yard
UPClearing Yard
MultipleRoseville Yard
UPArgentine Yard
BNSFSelkirk Yard
CSXBellevue Yard
NSAlliance Terminal
BNSFWest Colton Yard
UPHarriman Dispatching Center
UPBarstow Yard
BNSFGalesburg Yard
BNSFInman Yard
NSRegional and Short Line Rail Networks
Short line and regional railroads provide first-mile and last-mile rail service, connecting industrial facilities, ports, and agricultural regions to the Class I network. These smaller carriers operate approximately 30% of U.S. rail miles.
Pacific Northwest
California
Gulf Coast
Great Lakes
Northeast
Appalachia
Rail Shipping Route Economics
Rail transportation provides significant cost advantages for bulk commodities and long-haul intermodal freight. A single train can carry the equivalent of 300 trucks, with fuel efficiency approximately 3-4 times greater than highway trucking.
Optimal Rail Freight Characteristics
- Distance: Generally advantageous for movements exceeding 500 miles
- Volume: Carload and unit train quantities provide best economics
- Time Sensitivity: 2-5 day transit windows versus next-day trucking
- Commodity Type: Bulk goods, intermodal containers, automotive, chemicals
Intermodal Integration
Modern rail shipping routes increasingly function as part of integrated intermodal networks. Containers move between rail and truck transportation at specialized terminal facilities, combining rail line-haul efficiency with trucking flexibility for pickup and delivery.
Locomotive and Yard Electronics
Class I railroads operate sophisticated electronic systems for locomotive control, positive train control (PTC), and automated yard switching. These systems rely on PLCs, servo drives, and specialized control boards. Railroads maintaining legacy equipment often source from industrial automation repair and parts sourcing to keep critical infrastructure operational.