Petroleum Coke Rail Shipping & Logistics: Rates, Railcars, Lanes
The bottom-of-the-barrel refinery byproduct — fuel-grade petcoke moves like coal, anode-grade feeds aluminum smelters.
Petroleum coke logistics by rail: what we do
Steel Wheel Logistics prices and coordinates petroleum coke carload moves nationwide — single cars and multi-car blocks — from routing and an indicative rate per car through car ordering, release and tracing to placement. Petroleum coke weighs out at 100–115 tons per car (roughly 45–55 lb per cubic foot) well before the car is full, so we size open-top hopper or rotary gondolas to the weight limit and the receiving track's capacity rather than to cube. Typical end uses are cement kilns and power generation (fuel grade), aluminum anodes (calcined grade), export — we confirm the receiving track and unloading method before the first car is ordered. Where the plant has no spur, we set up transload at a bulk yard near the receiver and price the rail-plus-truck move against straight truck, so the mode decision is made on numbers. Demurrage control is planned rather than reactive: manifest cars arrive bunched, so we set release rules with the receiver and watch free time car by car. Shippers who need equipment can use our railcar brokerage to source open-top hopper or rotary gondolas on lease or per trip.
| Railcar | Open-top hopper or rotary gondola |
| Typical net load | 100–115 tons per car |
| Bulk density | ~45–55 lb/cu ft |
| Loading constraint | Weighs out (weight-limited) |
| STCC | 29914 — look up related codes in the STCC Finder |
What it's used for
Cement kilns and power generation (fuel grade), aluminum anodes (calcined grade), export.
How it moves
Gulf Coast refineries to cement plants, export docks and calciners; handled with coal-style rotary dump equipment.
Indicative petroleum coke rail rates by lane
10 sample lanes from our rate model (priced in the model's coal class, the same car family), spread from short to long haul. The rate is per car; the per-ton column divides it by 100 tons, the low end of a typical petroleum coke load. Open a lane for its route and per-leg breakdown.
| Lane | Rail miles | Indicative rate per car | Per ton at 100 t/car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia, PA → Chicago, IL | 802 | $5,111 | $51 |
| Houston, TX → Phoenix, AZ | 1,242 | $6,354 | $64 |
| Arlington, TX → New York City, NY | 1,739 | $8,743 | $87 |
| Denver, CO → Brooklyn, NY | 1,912 | $8,547 | $85 |
| Chicago, IL → Los Angeles, CA | 2,187 | $8,797 | $88 |
| Columbus, OH → San Diego, CA | 2,550 | $9,807 | $98 |
| Las Vegas, NV → New York City, NY | 2,847 | $11,463 | $115 |
| Staten Island, NY → Los Angeles, CA | 3,060 | $11,795 | $118 |
| Oakland, CA → New York City, NY | 3,136 | $12,155 | $122 |
| Boston, MA → San Diego, CA | 3,265 | $11,355 | $114 |
Single-car indicative estimates from our rate model, line haul plus fuel surcharge (plus interchange fees where a route crosses carriers), September 2026. Not a quote. Price your own petroleum coke lane or browse rail freight rates across all commodities.
Where it flows
Key origins and gateways for petroleum coke on the Commodity Flow Map:
- Appalachian Coal Country (Met & Thermal) — Appalachian Coal Country, WV (CSX, NS)
- Powder River Basin (Coal) — Powder River Basin, WY (BNSF, UP, NS)
- North Platte (UP Bailey Yard — World's Largest) — North Platte, NE (UP)
- Toledo (Lake Erie Coal & Iron Ore Port) — Toledo, OH (CSX, NS)
Common questions
Can petroleum coke be shipped by rail?
Yes. Petroleum Coke moves regularly on the North American rail network in open-top hopper or rotary gondolas. Gulf Coast refineries to cement plants, export docks and calciners; handled with coal-style rotary dump equipment..
How many tons of petroleum coke fit in a railcar?
A typical load is 100–115 net tons per car — the car reaches its weight limit well before its cubic capacity.
What railcar does petroleum coke move in?
Open-top hopper or rotary gondola. Because the commodity is dense, smaller-cube cars are common — the weight limit governs.
What is the bulk density of petroleum coke?
Roughly 45–55 lb per cubic foot, depending on grade and condition.
Does Steel Wheel Logistics handle petroleum coke rail logistics?
Yes — we price and coordinate petroleum coke carload moves nationwide: routing and indicative rates per car in open-top hopper or rotary gondolas at 100–115 tons, car supply through our railcar brokerage, transload where the plant has no spur, and demurrage control. Call (601) 821-2199 or book a 30-minute setup call to walk through your lane.
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
Set up a petroleum coke rail lane
Tell us origin, destination and cars per month. We come back with an indicative rate per car, the equipment that fits, and how the lane would actually run — no obligation.
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, per car; nothing on this page is a quote.