Why Railroads Are Making Freight Trains Longer and Longer

Pressure from investors and competition from trucking drive railroads to add cars to improve efficiency. But some say the trend is misguided and, potentially, a safety hazard.

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The freight train is now on track to stretch up to 3 miles long, with 200 cars or more. And it’s being powered, in part, by an unusual energy source: the activist investor.

Companies have plenty of reasons to keep adding train cars. Long trains save on fuel and crews, reducing the cost of rail transportation.

Longer trains also decrease...