How To Ship A Car By Train
If you have landed a fantastic job across the country and you’re needed on-site right away, you pack up your apartment and start to plan for the big move. However, if you do not have time to drive across the country, you do have options. Shipping your car by train can be an affordable, efficient way to transport your vehicle from your previous location to your new destination.
Typically, you do not need to interact directly with the railroad. You can contact a company that specializes in shipping vehicles, and they will be able to inform you of the process and their fees. In addition, although not every city is ideally suited to transport cars on trains, the possibilities are still rather extensive. The process generally begins when your car is picked up by a truck carrier at your location, and from there, the driver transports your car to the closest rail terminal or hub.
Capacity, market factors, distance, geographic location, fuel cost, type of vehicle and load factors are just several of the variables that make up the price of shipping a car by train. These variables will differ with each situation, and the market influences are ever-changing, so it is important to understand what your cost might be at any given time. In addition, the railcar equipment is designed to handle several quantities of cars based on their dimensions. You can expect to be charged a “per-car” rate based on the assumption that your vehicle will take up one “spot” on the rail car, which is typically less than 250 inches in length. If your vehicle is longer, the train would consider it to be a special move, and your situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the car is able to be transported and if that particular company has a rate for your car.
For public safety reasons, a truck carrier must pick up the vehicle or you must make arrangements for a mutually agreed-upon, convenient location. You will need to make sure that your vehicle is fully operable and that all anti-theft devices are deactivated. Your fluid levels will need to be topped off, and you will need to notify the shipping company if you have any specialty items on your vehicle such as luggage racks, spoilers or running boards. The length of the process will depend on the location from where the car is shipped as well as its final destination.
