How to Ship a Rail Car by Road: Transport Requirements & Permits

Rail Car Dimensions and Weight Ranges

Rail car specifications vary significantly by type. Understanding your car's exact dimensions is essential for permit planning:

Rail Car Type	Length	Width	Height	Empty Weight
Boxcar (standard)	50'–60'	10'–10'6"	14'–15'6"	60,000–80,000 lbs
Flatcar	50'–89'	9'–10'	4'–5' (deck height)	40,000–70,000 lbs
Gondola	50'–65'	10'–10'6"	8'–12'	50,000–75,000 lbs
Hopper Car	50'–65'	10'–10'6"	12'–15'	55,000–80,000 lbs
Tank Car	50'–65'	10'–10'6"	14'–16'	65,000–90,000 lbs
Autorack (single level)	65'–89'	10'–10'6"	18'–20'	60,000–80,000 lbs

All rail cars exceed the standard 8'6" width limit. Most exceed the 13'6"–14' height limit when loaded on a highway trailer. Virtually all rail car highway moves require oversize permits.

Trailer Selection for Rail Car Transport

Lowboy Trailer

The lowboy is the most common trailer for rail car transport. The low deck height (18–24 inches) minimizes the combined height of the trailer plus rail car, which is critical for clearing bridges and overpasses. A standard boxcar (14'–15'6" tall) on a lowboy trailer results in a combined height of approximately 15'6"–17', requiring overheight permits and careful route planning to avoid low bridges.

RGN (Removable Gooseneck) Trailer

RGN trailers are used when the rail car can be driven or rolled onto the trailer. Some rail cars can be rolled on their own wheels onto an RGN ramp, which eliminates the need for crane loading. However, rail car wheels are flanged and not designed for trailer decks — proper blocking and cribbing is required to prevent the wheels from rolling and to protect the trailer deck.

Multi-Axle Configurations

Heavy rail cars (65,000–90,000 lbs) require multi-axle trailer configurations to comply with bridge formula requirements. A standard 5-axle lowboy may be insufficient; 7–9 axle configurations are common for heavier rail cars.

Permit Requirements for Rail Car Highway Transport

Rail car highway moves require oversize/overweight permits in every state. Key permit triggers:

• Width: All rail cars are 10'–10'6" wide, exceeding the 8'6" legal limit. Overwidth permits and escort vehicles are required in all states.
• Height: Most rail cars on lowboy trailers result in combined heights of 15'–20', far exceeding state height limits of 13'6"–14'6". Overheight permits and careful bridge clearance routing are required.
• Length: Rail cars 65'–89' long may exceed state length limits for combination vehicles. Overlength permits may be required.
• Weight: Heavy rail cars (65,000–90,000 lbs) plus trailer weight may exceed 80,000 lbs GVW, requiring overweight permits.

Bridge Clearance and Route Planning

The height of a rail car on a lowboy trailer is the most critical routing challenge. A boxcar (15'6" tall) on a lowboy (24" deck height) results in a combined height of approximately 17'6". This exceeds the clearance of many highway bridges, which are typically designed for 14'–16' clearance.

Route planning for overheight rail car moves requires:

• Identifying all bridges on the proposed route and verifying clearance heights
• Routing around low bridges, which may significantly increase travel distance
• Using a height pole on the lead escort vehicle to detect unexpected low clearances
• Coordinating with state DOTs for approved overheight routes

Loading and Unloading Rail Cars

Crane Loading

Most rail car highway moves use crane loading. The rail car is lifted from the track or storage area and placed on the lowboy trailer. Crane capacity requirements depend on rail car weight — a 75,000-lb tank car requires a crane with at least 40-ton capacity (accounting for rigging weight and lift geometry).

Roll-On Loading

Some rail cars can be rolled onto an RGN trailer using the car's own wheels. This requires a level approach, proper blocking to prevent rolling, and cribbing to protect the trailer deck from flanged wheels. Roll-on loading is faster and less expensive than crane loading when site conditions permit.

Cost Factors for Rail Car Transport

• Base rate: Typically $4.00–$7.00/mile for lowboy moves
• Permit fees: $200–$800 per state for oversize/overheight permits
• Escort vehicles: Required for all rail car moves due to width; $3.00–$5.00/mile per escort
• Crane loading: $2,000–$10,000 depending on crane size and site conditions
• Route survey: $500–$3,000 for overheight route planning and bridge clearance verification

IronHaul Logistics coordinates rail car highway transport for short-line railroads, rebuild shops, and industrial facilities. We handle overheight route planning, multi-state permit coordination, and crane loading logistics. Call (208) 495-2260, email [email protected], or submit a quote request online.