Paper & Pulp by Rail
Rolls of containerboard, printing paper and market pulp move in clean, cushioned high-cube boxcars from Southern and Canadian mills.
| Railcar | High-cube boxcar (60 ft, cushioned) |
| Typical net load | 70–90 tons per car |
| Loading constraint | Cubes out (volume-limited) |
| STCC | 26211 — look up related codes in the STCC Finder |
What it's used for
Corrugated boxes, tissue, printing, export pulp.
How it moves
Mill-to-converter lanes across the Southeast and cross-border from Eastern Canada; the boxcar fleet serving this traffic is aging, which keeps car supply tight.
Where it flows
Key origins and gateways for paper & pulp on the Commodity Flow Map:
- Jacksonville (JAXPORT, Forest Products Hub) — Jacksonville, FL (CSX, NS)
- Port of Baltimore (Autos & Farm Equipment) — Port of Baltimore, MD (CSX, NS)
- Port of Mobile (#1 US Forest Products) — Port of Mobile, AL (NS, CN)
- Seattle/Tacoma Cargo Terminal (Pacific Northwest) — Seattle/Tacoma Cargo Terminal, WA (BNSF, UP, NS)
- Southeast Pine Belt (Forest Products) — Southeast Pine Belt, MS (CSX, NS, CN)
- Pine Bluff (UP Yard) — Pine Bluff, AR (UP)
Common questions
Can paper & pulp be shipped by rail?
Yes. Paper & Pulp moves regularly on the North American rail network in high-cube boxcars. Mill-to-converter lanes across the Southeast and cross-border from Eastern Canada; the boxcar fleet serving this traffic is aging, which keeps car supply tight..
How many tons of paper & pulp fit in a railcar?
A typical load is 70–90 net tons per car — the car fills up (cubes out) before it reaches its weight limit.
What railcar does paper & pulp move in?
High-cube boxcar (60 ft, cushioned). Because the commodity is light for its volume, shippers prefer the largest cubic capacity available.
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 paper & pulp 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.