October 19, 2021
When you think of a gondola, do you start daydreaming about a leisurely boat ride on a Venetian canal? While aptly named for their shallow boat-like shape, in the world of freight transportation, a gondola means something quite different.
Gondola rail cars are used to transport rugged, unfinished commodities used in construction and manufacturing. In fact, rail plays a major role in transporting the products that keep America moving, like sand, gravel, scrap metal, steel and other raw materials used to build roads, machinery, skyscrapers, shopping centers and much more. According to the Association of American Railroads (AAR), in a typical year, U.S. freight railroads transport more than two million carloads of construction-related materials.
For an in-depth look at everything you need to know about gondola rail cars and how they safely transport a wide variety of materials, read on.
A gondola rail car’s versatile design makes it ideal for shipping all kinds of heavy bulk commodities used for construction, including scrap metal, steel rebar, steel beams, grinding media, aggregates, logs, lumber, sand, copper and iron ore.
In the shipping world, a gondola is a sturdy rail car with low side walls and an open top. Imagine a boxcar cut in half horizontally, and you’ve got yourself a gondola.
The gondola has been in use since the early 1800s and its simple design has not changed much since its inception. However, there are a few variations of gondola rail cars:
The simple structure of gondolas allow for easy loading and unloading – usually done with the help of cranes. Gondola cars can also be unloaded using a backhoe. When loading and loading steel, a claw or magnet is also used. Many steel plants receive scrap metal delivered in gondolas which can then be reloaded with outbound steel, resulting in efficient inbound and outbound shipping and cost savings.
There are several reasons why shippers use gondolas to transport their freight:
To learn more about gondola rail cars or shipping aggregates, metals and construction materials by rail, get in touch.
Want to learn more about other types of rail car equipment, including boxcars, flatcars, coil cars and covered hoppers? Check out our rail car type guide.
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