Container on Flat Car
Logistics Term
What’s a Container on Flat Car?
Container on flatcar is a transportation method of moving products without necessarily manipulating the product and by use of two modes of transportation. It encompasses a combination of two things in a single container. A container is a metal box that stores goods, while a flatcar is a freight car with no sides or a ceiling and mainly serves in the trucking industry. Containers on flatcar are common in piggybank services. That is a combination of rail and truck to move items. It's advantageous in that this mode of transportation offers cost efficiency to rail when it comes to the long haul and has a high level of flexibility of the truck in short-haul services.
Learn More About Container on Flat Car
Flatcars are a separate entity from good cars and should not be confused. Cars can either be single or double stacked while containers on flatcar can only accommodate for single stack loading. Single-stacked happens when a container is mounted directly at the top of the rail car. On the other hand, double-stacked happens when two containers get mounted on each other. The choice of loading depends on the weight and size of the container. Normally containers get loaded onto flat cars at rail depots or intermodal logistics facilities. They are lifted by a crane or a forklift and tightened with metal straps. This is preceded by closing and locking the container.
