Methods, Systems and Apparatuses for Loading and Unloading Freight from Railcars

A method for loading and unloading freight on railcars, comprising the steps of:

• aligning a plurality of railcars with a plurality of loading locations within a first and a second staging zone wherein the loading locations in the first staging zone have located thereon a sled and freight and wherein the loading locations in the second staging zone are empty, and wherein the railcars are at substantially the same elevation as the loading locations,
• unloading freight from railcars by laterally moving the plurality of sleds and freight from plurality of the railcars to the plurality of loading locations in the second staging zone, and
• loading freight onto the plurality of railcars by laterally moving the plurality of sleds and freight from the plurality of loading locations in the first staging zone to the plurality of railcars.

A method for intermodal transportation of freight on railcars, the method comprising:

• placing freight on a sled capable of moving laterally between a loading location and a railcar that are aligned and at substantially the same elevation, and
• laterally moving the sled and the freight from the first loading location to the first railcar.

A method for intermodal transportation of freight on railcars, the method comprising:

• registering a freight at a rail freight terminal for transport and assigning the freight with a loading location within the rail freight terminal and programming a coded device with identification information related to the freight, and
• placing the freight on a sled in the loading location wherein the sled is capable of moving laterally between the loading location and a railcar that are aligned and at substantially the same elevation.