On May 10, we celebrate National Ship by Rail Day. It highlights annually the advantages of shipping by rail and utilising railroads and continues to promote railroad and short-line railroad shipment, which has been Progressive Rail Incorporated’s focus. If you are a younger reader, you may not realise that trains were once the most efficient method to transport and ship mail and packages prior to the advent of online shopping. Don’t fear, older readers; we’ve got you covered with some fascinating facts and historical timelines so you can take a trip down memory lane.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL SHIP VIA RAIL DAY
Prior to FedEx, D.H.L., and U.P.S. delivery, more oversized and bulky items were transported via railroads. On a railway, a goods train, cargo train or goods train is a set of goods cars or goods waggons pulled by one or more locomotives. As part of the logistics chain, these trains convey cargo between the shipper and the intended destination. There are even train cars that are specifically designed to convey bulk materials, intermodal containers, general goods or specialised goods. The majority of tonnage carried by the majority of freight railroads is bulk cargo, which is considered commodity cargo that is transported in large volumes with its original packaging intact.
These goods and goods trains can typically convey shipbuilding and construction materials, household goods such as furniture and appliances, vehicles, liquids such as diesel and petroleum, and food and beverages in bulk. Despite the fact that rail transport is more energy-efficient and environmentally benign than road transport, rail has lost a significant amount of freight business to the alternative mode of transport due to its lack of adaptability. Unlike road transport, which utilises trucks, rail transport ensures that products that would otherwise be delivered via multiple trucks are transported in a single shipment. This saves a substantial amount of money on transportation costs. In light of the environmental benefits, many governments have encouraged the transition of freight from vehicles to trains due to the extremely low external costs of rail freight transport.
Progressive Rail Incorporated established National Ship Via Rail Day on the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in Promontory Point, Utah, in May 2021 to highlight the advantages of shipping by rail utilising railroads and to promote railroad and short-line railroad shipping.
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5 INCREDIBLE TRAIN AND RAILWAY FACTS
Lincoln is accountable for railway travel.
Lincoln’s remains were transported through 180 cities en route to his Illinois residence.
The horse was more swift than the train.
In 1830, the first American locomotive lost a polite railside race to a horse.
Train collecting is a habit.
There is a worldwide community of train enthusiasts who are interested in every aspect of railroading.
We nearly lacked a U.S. railway.
During the Great Depression, railway systems failed to compete with automobile transportation.
The property is historic
The world’s longest train voyage covered 10,056 miles in 12 days, from Portugal to Vietnam.
NATIONAL SHIP VIA RAIL DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 10 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | May 10 | Friday |
| 2025 | May 10 | Saturday |
| 2026 | May 10 | Sunday |
| 2027 | May 10 | Monday |
