See also
rolling stock. Railway cars are vehicles designed to roll on rails and be joined together into trains. There are many different types of railway car. I'm not a serious railroader, but here are a few I can think of. Anyone else?
- Boxcar - carries freight. Essentially, just that; a box on wheels.
- Passenger - contains seats, usually in a single large space as opposed to the compartments of a sleeper car.
- Sleeper - passenger car with sleeping accomodations. Of these, the Pullman was the best known in the U.S.
- Dining car - full service restaurant on wheels, for the passengers of the train.
- Lounge car - More open seating, typically with large windows, for socializing and sightseeing. Some have glass 'bubble' roofs and seats raised above the roofline. (Thanks C-Dawg!)
- Tender - usually paired with a locomotive, the tender carries supplies/fuel.
- Tanker - for transporting liquid cargo.
- Hopper - for transporting top-loaded dry goods such as grain, sand, coal, salt, etc.
- Caboose - last car in a train, usually; accomodations for train crew, storage, etc.
- Baggage - car that carries the baggage of passengers on the train. Usually has racks etc. for easy access during travel.
- Mail - specialized boxcar for carrying (and occasionally sorting or handling) of mail.
- Crane - a lifting crane built onto a railway car chassis
- Cafe car - car with tables and a food/beverage counter. Also bar car.
Note that I don't count the locomotive as a car; it's a different beast entirely.