Auto Transport by Rail
Rail shipping exists, but only on limited routes.
Auto transport by rail is far less common than shipping by truck. There are plenty of railroads left, and plenty of train companies that provide commercial transportation services, but on the whole most vehicle transportation is done overland as opposed to by rail. This has to do with a couple different things that we’ll explore a bit more in-depth about in this article.
For starters, the auto transport by rail industry is somewhat unique in the sense that it falls under several different regulatory commissions that make it harder than it should be for transporters to ship vehicles by rail. Overland transporters don’t have these same kinds of restrictions; they’re overseen by the Department of Transportation and the FMCSA, and on the whole there’s not a whole lot that overland transporters can’t do (well, they can’t speed and they can’t drive for too long, but really that’s about it). This makes it easier for overland transporters to keep their prices lower, and as such customers tend to ship via overland transport as opposed to the often-more-expensive auto transport by rail.
Auto transport by rail does exist, but there aren’t nearly as many routes that auto transport by rail services are available on and this in turn means that you won’t be able to ship from anywhere, to anywhere in the U.S. with an auto transport by rail company like you could with an overland transport company. That means fewer customers are able to ship with them. The biggest routes for rail transport are along the eastern seaboard and from the northeast (New England) to the southwest (California). Other than that, though, you’re almost always going to need overland transport services.
And besides, overland transportation is generally cheaper than auto transport by rail, even though an auto transport truck can haul a maximum of ten cars while a rail car can haul anywhere from 50 to 100. Dealerships would probably take most advantage of auto transport by rail services due to the high volume that can be transported at once, but then again it depends on where your dealership is located. Regular customers, though, that are simply shipping their personal vehicles, would be best served going with an overland transporter as opposed to an auto transport by rail company.
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What customers said
Wanted an enclosed carrier for my new car. Call made on Friday, car picked up on Tuesday, delivered on Friday, smooth transaction. I will use Cruise Control Auto Transport again. Great Service.
Andrew was exceptional in arranging my auto transport. We had a preliminary conversation in which he briefed me on the process and discussed the quote. When I called with a definite date, he had a carrier lined up in less than 2 hours. The car was picked up the next day. The carrier was very good, polite and prompt – I felt my car was in good hands. Even after the carrier had the car, Andrew still followed up to make sure I was satisfied. Thank you, Andrew, for very good service.
This is my second time shipping my vehicle with Cruise Control Auto Transport. I like how this company does a great job of being up front at the very beginning by explaining what to expect so there are no surprises. There were none once again. From pickup to delivery, Andrew was there to answer all my questions. Even on weekends! I have Cruise Control Auto Transport to thank for another excellent experience.