Introduction to Rail Transportation. • Typical freight train is about 100 cars (generally range from 50 to 150 cars) 100 cars x 110 tons lading per car = 11,000 tons of lading • Railcar Gross Rail Load = 286,000 lbs. GRL (= 143 tons) 100 cars x 286,000 lbs. = 28,600,000 lbs = 14,300 gross tons • Plus the weight of two locomotives, about