Shipping Cars by Rail

Car shipping is very common in the country since millions of Americans are changing residences every year, moving from one state to another. Add to these, a few more hundreds of thousand cars are moved when selling and buying.

This means car transportation companies are very busy these days (which explains why there are tons of companies to choose from in the Internet). The most common type of car overland transportation is using a truck, that huge 75-feet truck that can tow up to 10 cars in one go. Another option is to do it on board a train. If you wish to try shipping cars by rail, this is how it is done.

First, you have to check the railroad company nearest you if they service automobiles. Most likely they do, because trains in fact can carry more and much heavier loads than trucks. Rail car shipping is the most common way of transporting a number of heavy machines in one go.

Perhaps the most common railroad company is the Amtrak. This company ships automobiles through its Amtrak Auto Rail service, which ships automobiles and other shipments from the Washington DC area to the Orlando area in Florida.

Another company is Union Pacific Railroad that ships cars to 43 car distribution centers in major American cities through its partner ShipCarsNow. Union Pacific is also capable of international car shipping as it does business with international car shipping vessels. Millions of automobiles are imported to the United States every year on board Roll on, Roll off (RoRo) vessels and ocean liners. Union Pacific also works directly with car assembly plants and car manufacturers.

Second, plan your trip with your family. If you were moving to a new address in a new state, plan your trip on board the same train where you car would be loaded. You should be there to drive your car on and off a railcar or else no one will. Traveling by train may not be the most convenient or fun way of traveling with your children or family.

Make sure to pack books, games and food to keep your children from being bored or unruly. If well prepared, you could turn it into a fun family adventure. Book ahead to make sure you and your car get into the same train.

Prepare your car for rail shipping

Third, prepare your car. Check for any dents or scratches so that you could later compare your car’s condition as you get down from the train. Make sure that your car gets car shipping insurance to cover any damage, accident or even loss.

Do not sign the Bill of Lading until you are satisfied with the service. Compared with the usual mode of transporting cars onboard a carrier truck, shipping cars by rail is more economical and eco-friendly.

Shipping cars by rail solves one of the main problems in car shipping and that is cost. Coast to coast car shipping by truck could cost you more than $1,000, while shipping by train is cheaper at approximately $800. (These are not exact prices. It is best to check with your local car shipping company or railroad company for actual comparison.)