All Aboard Trains: Cars Name__________

Every day trains crisscross most countries of the world with cargoes of freight or
people. Many different kinds of cars are needed for the different types of cargo. Listed
below are the different types of cars and the cargo they carry as they make their way
across the land.

Freight Trains

Gondola Car—carries heavy cargo such as steel pipes in a closed car

Refrigerator Car—keeps fresh produce cool so it won’t spoil; usually

clearly marked as a “Refrigerated” car

Livestock Car—carries livestock such as cows or pigs to meat factories or

farms; has openings in the sides to allow fresh air in so the animals can
breathe

Boxcar—carries boxed or packed cargo such as computers in a closed car

Hopper Car—carries loose cargo such as grain, sand or coal; has a chute at
the bottom to unload the cargo

Tank Car—carries liquids such as oil in a cylindrical car

Flatcar—carries truck trailers or heavy shipping containers strapped on with

chains as there are no sides or tops (also known as a “piggyback” flatcar);
truck trailers or the shipping containers are placed on and removed by heavy
cranes

Auto-Rack Car—carries new automobiles protected by steel mesh siding

Caboose—was the last car on some freight trains; was the train crew’s home
and conductor’s office; rarely used in modern times
Passenger Trains

Coach Car—carries passengers to their destination

Double-Deck Coach—has 2 floors to carry passengers; usually used on

commuting train lines to carry as many workers as possible

Observation Car—has 2 floors with a glass-topped observation deck on the

second floor so passengers can view the scenery

Sleeping Car—contains small sleeping rooms or bunk beds where

passengers can sleep on longer journeys; sometimes the seats in the Coach
Car would slide together to make the lower bunk bed for the night, while a
bed would flip down from the ceiling to form the upper bed

Dining Car—where passengers can eat the meals prepared for them by the
kitchen staff in a small cramped kitchen at the end of the dining car

Snack Car—a less formal eating car where passengers can enjoy a snack or
light meal

Specialized Trains

TGV—high-speed passenger train in France, traveling more than 200 MPH

Shinkansen—high-speed passenger train in Japan nicknamed the “bullet

train”; almost totally automatic with its operations performed by remote
control

Eurostar—high-speed trains in several European cities

Subway Trains—trains which run on tracks in underground tunnels

Elevated Trains—trains that run on tracks above the street

Monorails—elevated trains that travel on only one track or rail