Find transload facilities

Transloading is the process of transferring freight from one mode of transportation to another — for example, from rail to truck, truck to rail, or between different types of railcars and containers. Transload facilities serve as the critical link that enables shippers to take advantage of the cost efficiency of rail transportation even when their origin or destination does not have direct rail access.

Nearly any type of freight can be transloaded, including dry bulk commodities (sand, grain, aggregates), liquid bulk (chemicals, petroleum products, food-grade liquids), dimensional freight (lumber, steel, machinery), and containerized goods. The specific capabilities depend on the equipment and infrastructure available at each transload facility.

Dry bulk transloading involves transferring loose, granular, or powdered materials between transportation modes. Common dry bulk commodities include sand, gravel, cement, grain, fertilizer, and minerals. Facilities handling dry bulk typically use equipment such as conveyor systems, pneumatic blowers, front-end loaders, and specialized hoppers to efficiently move material between railcars and trucks.

Liquid bulk transloading is the transfer of liquid commodities — such as chemicals, petroleum products, vegetable oils, and other liquids — between tank cars, tank trucks, and storage tanks. These facilities require specialized pumping equipment, containment systems, and often hazmat certifications to safely handle liquid freight.

Dimensional transloading refers to the handling of large, heavy, or irregularly shaped freight such as lumber, steel coils, pipe, machinery, and construction materials. These loads often require cranes, forklifts, or specialized rigging equipment to transfer between flatcars, gondolas, and flatbed trucks.

Container transloading involves transferring goods from intermodal shipping containers to domestic trailers or vice versa. This is commonly done at port areas or inland intermodal facilities where international containers are deconsolidated and reloaded into 53-foot domestic trailers for final delivery.

While both involve transferring freight, transloading specifically refers to moving goods between different transportation modes (e.g., rail to truck), often involving bulk commodities and specialized equipment. Cross-docking typically involves transferring packaged goods between trucks at a warehouse or distribution center with minimal storage time. Transloading usually requires more specialized equipment and handling.

Transloading offers several key benefits: lower transportation costs by leveraging rail for long-haul moves, access to rail service even without a rail siding, greater flexibility in shipping and receiving locations, reduced truck traffic and environmental impact, the ability to consolidate or deconsolidate shipments, and access to temporary storage at the transload facility. For many shippers, transloading is the most cost-effective way to move bulk commodities across long distances.