Crude Oil by Rail
Crude by rail connects production basins to refineries the pipelines don't reach — primarily Bakken and Western Canadian barrels to coastal refineries.
| Railcar | DOT-117 tank car (~28,000–30,000 gal) |
| Typical net load | 90–100 tons per car |
| Loading constraint | Weighs out (weight-limited) |
| STCC | 13111 — look up related codes in the STCC Finder |
What it's used for
Refinery feedstock.
How it moves
Unit trains of DOT-117s; volume swings with the pipeline-vs-rail price spread. Canadian heavy crude to the Gulf is the persistent lane.
By the numbers: state rail plan figures
How much of this commodity group moves by rail, as published in the states' own federally mandated rail plans:
Statewide rail tonnage
- Washington: 7.5 million tons of crude petroleum oil moved by rail to, from, within and through the state in 2016 (Washington State Rail Plan 2019, p. 144).
Single-direction figures
These count movement in one direction only — originated, inbound or outbound as each plan defines it — so they are not comparable with the statewide totals above.
- Wisconsin: 16.7 million tons of crude petroleum moved by rail through the state without originating or terminating there in 2019 (Wisconsin State Rail Plan 2026, p. 145).
- North Dakota: 16.2 million tons of crude petroleum and natural gas moved by rail outbound from the state in 2019 (North Dakota State Rail Plan 2023, p. 138).
- South Dakota: 3.3 million tons of crude petroleum, natural gas or gasoline moved through the state by rail in 2019 (South Dakota State Rail Plan 2022, p. 112).
- Louisiana: 1.9 million tons of crude petroleum moved by rail inbound to the state in 2021 (Louisiana State Rail Plan 2024, p. 61).
Each figure is quoted from the cited state rail plan and reflects that plan's own data year, commodity grouping and methodology — figures from different plans are not directly comparable with each other. Some plans count traffic passing through the state and others exclude it; each line says which.
Where it flows
Key origins and gateways for crude oil on the Commodity Flow Map:
- Tulsa (BNSF / UP Crude & Grain) — Tulsa, OK (BNSF, UP)
Common questions
Can crude oil be shipped by rail?
Yes. Crude Oil moves regularly on the North American rail network in dot-117 tank cars. Unit trains of DOT-117s; volume swings with the pipeline-vs-rail price spread.
How many tons of crude oil fit in a railcar?
A typical load is 90–100 net tons per car — the car reaches its weight limit well before its cubic capacity.
What railcar does crude oil move in?
DOT-117 tank car (~28,000–30,000 gal). Because the commodity is dense, smaller-cube cars are common — the weight limit governs.
Related tools
- Railcar Capacity Guide — loads and cubic capacities by car type
- Railcar Selector — match a commodity to the right equipment
- Rail vs Truck Calculator — where rail wins on your lane
- Transload Directory — 2,400+ transfer facilities
Shipping crude oil by rail?
Run your lane through the Rail Rate Quote tool for an indicative estimate (the commodity is pre-selected for you), compare modes with Rail vs Truck, or find transfer points in the Transload Directory. We do not guarantee rates — we will talk through your lane before quoting.
Figures on this page are typical industry ranges for reference — actual loads depend on the specific car, commodity grade and railroad rules. Rate estimates are indicative only; Steel Wheel Logistics does not issue binding quotes from this page.