FREIGHT RAIL & THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

  • Railroads move 2M+ carloads of construction materials each year.
  • Lumber shipments by rail closely follow housing trends.
  • Rail efficiently hauls stone, sand, and cement, reducing costs and truck traffic.

U.S. freight railroads play a critical role in the nation’s ability to build. For residential and commercial construction, railroads transport a variety of building materials, including steel, stone, non‐metallic minerals, wood products, and plastics.

At the end of the residential construction process, a newly built dwelling is filled with durable consumer goods, such as household appliances — carried by rail. Railroads are also essential to one of the largest industries in the world, pulp and paper. Pulp and paper are most commonly processed to make everything from paper and food packaging to cardboard, bandages, and LCD screens.

Each year, freight railroads move over two million carloads of construction materials.

Freight rail’s movement of construction materials is a vital role in building infrastructure across the nation. Raw materials like cement and steel are gathered and processed into building supplies, which railroads transport to distributors. These materials then reach construction sites. There, developers build hospitals, schools, homes, skyscrapers, and manufacturing plants, shaping communities and the economy.

Lumber

Freight rail signals economic trends, as lumber shipments closely track housing starts and construction demand. Railroads move essential wood products like milled lumber, construction panels, and wood particles. Manufacturers use these materials for furniture and building components such as walls, doors, floors, and roofs.

Lumber moves primarily in centerbeams, boxcars, and bulkhead flatcars. The 73′ centerbeam flatcars carry over 200,000 lbs.—enough framing lumber for six homes. Rail also moves millwork, veneer, plywood, and trim, supporting manufacturers and building material distributors nationwide.

Stone, Sand & Gravel

About 80% of crushed stone and 43% of sand and gravel support road and concrete construction. Rail efficiently moves these key materials—like limestone and gypsum—from quarries to plants nationwide. Gondolas streamline short-haul aggregate transport, while covered hoppers speed up dry cement delivery. Each railcar replaces four trucks, making rail a cost-effective, eco-friendly option for construction materials.