History of RAIL freight in the U.S.A

Rail freight plays such as significant role in the business operations of all countries that it is difficult to imagine a world without it. In the USA, a country where freight must travel significant distances between destinations, train freight has played a particularly important role in the development of the country since it began to develop as an occupied country in the 15th century.

Rail freight in the US really began around the middle of the 19th century as the number of railways in the US began to increase significantly. Government objectives to allow the purchase of land for the development of rail, even if the owner objected, were a significant facilitator in this process. Initially railway networks were reasonably short but gradually began to branch out and connect more of the country. In 1869 the first transcontinental railroad was completed, which allowed for different parts of the country to do business with each other much more efficiently.

At the start of the 20th century the evolution of cars and airplanes began to have an effect on the popularity of train freight which caused the industry to evolve or face being phased out. As a result, the high speed and efficient trains which we see today were evolved.

In recent years rail freight has become undermined somewhat by the emergence of air freight as a more efficient way of transferring goods from one side of the country to another, but nonetheless, rail freight still plays an important role. Indeed, the amount of goods which move by freight in the US is approximately 30% more than in Europe.

Learn more about freight to the USA.

Return to Freight Types main page.