Abstract: A method for tracking a shipping container in a freight yard that includes the steps of: (a) assigning a specific temporary storage position to the container; (b) confirming, upon arrival of the container at a temporary storage position, that the position is the assigned specific temporary storage position; (c) recording a container serial number and an identification number for the specific temporary storage position once the container is placed in the specific temporary storage position; and (d) recording a date and a time that the container was placed in the specific temporary storage position.

Abstract: An inline terminal system (300), which includes the steps of: (i) transporting (302) a first container with a cargo via an inbound railroad car to a terminal having a plurality of train rails; (ii) picking and placing (304) the first container from the railroad car to a track side location having at least one buffer in proximity to the plurality of train rails, including: (a) rotating the first container at an angle of at least ten or more degrees with respect to the train rails; and (b) positioning the at least one buffer substantially adjacent to the train rails, at the track side location, at an angle of at least ten or more degrees with respect to the train rails; and (iii) moving (306) the first container via a tractor truck to a desired location for unloading. This system provides a simple, robust and efficient method to load, and in the reverse unload, a container on a chassis or rail car, respectively.

Abstract: An inline terminal system (300), which includes the steps of: (i) transporting (302) a first container with a cargo via an inbound railroad car to a terminal having a plurality of train rails; (ii) picking and placing (304) the first container from the railroad car to a track side location having at least one buffer in proximity to the plurality of train rails, including: (a) rotating the first container at an angle of at least ten or more degrees with respect to the train rails; and (b) positioning the at least one buffer substantially adjacent to the train rails, at the track side location, at an angle of at least ten or more degrees with respect to the train rails; and (iii) moving (306) the first container via a tractor truck to a desired location for unloading. This system provides a simple, robust and efficient method to load, and in the reverse unload, a container on a chassis or rail car, respectively.