- Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin
- It’s how we get there
Wisconsin Freight Rail Week

The Governor Proclaims Freight Rail Week
Excerpt from Governor’s proclamation. See complete proclamation on the right.
- NOW, THEREFORE, I, Scott Walker, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, do hereby proclaim
October 17 - 23, 2011 as Freight Rail Week
throughout the state of Wisconsin, and I commend this observance to all of our citizens.
Click here for TDA’s press release on Wisconsin Freight Rail Week.
Wisconsin Freight Rail Week Facts
Wisconsin's System- Wisconsin is served by 12 railroads including four major (Class I) railroads.
- Wisconsin's freight railroads each year move about 180 million tons of cargo.
- Wisconsin's major rail commodities include: coal, farm products, clay, concrete, pulp, paper, lumber or wood products and much more.
- Rail freight movement between Wisconsin, Canada and Mexico is expected to continue to grow.

The Benefits of Freight Rail
- Rail service provides a low cost transportation alternative for the high volume, lower value commodities that are essential to many of Wisconsin's industries.
- The availability of rail service can be an important factor for states and municipalities interested in retaining and attracting certain businesses.
- Freight rail eases highway congestion as one intermodal train can carry the freight of 280 trucks.
- Rail moves a ton of freight more than 450 miles on just one gallon of fuel and emits fewer pollutants than transportation by truck.
- A study shows that a 25% shift of freight from trucks to rail in urban areas in the U.S. by 2026 would on average each year: save each commuter 41 hours, save $985 in congestion costs per commuter, save each commuter 79 gallons of fuel, and reduce air pollution by nearly 920,500 tons.



