Whether you choose to ship freight by road or rail depends largely on the cargo being moved. Not only does the size of the cargo matter, but also its strength or fragility.
Some cargo is simply too large to ship via the roadway. There are often legal limits to the height and width of a load that can travel by road. These laws protect bridges from damage and prevent accidents. Special permits and procedures are also needed for over-sized loads.
Rail cars are much more flexible when it comes to large loads. They can be configured to ship freight of various types. Flat cars can run from 40′ to 89′ long, making them more suitable to exceptionally large loads. If you put 50 flat cars together, each having a capacity of 60 tons, you could carry 3,000 tons, much more than is possibly by truck.
Rail does not make sense to ship freight that is fragile. Ceramic tile is much too fragile to be shipped by train. In addition, some metals cannot be secured properly on a train because they are too heavy. Such items must be shipped by truck.
Trucking makes more sense when time is tight because rail freight often takes longer. Schedules are not ideally consistent and regular, so there are delays getting freight to its destination.
Security is also an issue when you ship freight. Trucks are generally more secure, being manned by a driver who has sight of the load for most of the trip. On long trains, it is easier for cargo to be stolen. It is harder to police a line of 50 cars than it is to check just one truckload.
Tags: freight forwarding, international shipping, ship freight