Abstract: Systems and methods for loading and transporting freight and dunnage on railcars are disclosed. An illustrative method of loading freight onto a railcar for transport can include the steps of attaching a number of lower support members to a floor or deck of the railcar, loading a lower tier of freight components onto the lower support members, loading a number of upper support members onto the lower tier of freight components, loading an upper tier of freight components onto the upper support members and releasably fastening the lower and upper support members to the lower and upper tiers of freight components. Each of the support members can be releasably fastened to the freight components via a number of coupling members, allowing the freight components to be easily loaded onto and unloaded from the railcar.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using rolling rail stock, such as one or more rail cars, as an advertising platform are provided. In one illustrative embodiment, a rail car or a portion thereof is adapted to appear like a product model of an actual product. For example, a tanker rail car may be painted or otherwise adapted to appear as an oversized soda can, and/or a box car may be painted or otherwise adapted to appear as an oversized tissue box. Alternatively, or in addition, a product model may be separately prepared and secured to a rail car. For example, the rail car may be a flat bed rail car, and may support a product model of a sour cream container, a car, a boat, or any other product.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using rolling rail stock, such as one or more rail cars, as an advertising platform are provided. In one illustrative embodiment, one or more advertisements are affixed to at least one side of a rail car, and the rail car is parked on a track in a high visibility location. In some cases, a fee may be charged to allow the one or more rail cars to be parked on the track. The rail car may be a dedicated advertising platform for an extended period of time, or the rail car may be selectively taken off-line from normal use to be used as an advertising platform for a period of time, as desired.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using rolling rail stock, such as one or more rail cars, as an advertising platform are provided. In one illustrative embodiment, a fee is accepted for providing an advertisement on one or more freight cars, and for releasing the freight cars onto a rail road network. Once released, the location of the freight cars may be tracked and recorded at one or more points in time, and stored as location data. An advertiser or other entity may be provided with at least some of the location data to show the real time and/or historical movement of the freight car along the rail road network. In some embodiments, an agreement is formed between two or more rail road entities, the agreement including an obligation for each rail road entity to perform quality checks and/or maintenance on advertisements positioned on those rail cars that are owned or leased by the other rail road entities that are part of the agreement when the rail cars enter or are in the rail yard of the receiving rail road entity.