The Iowa Rail Toolkit was created to provide new freight rail users and economic development professionals with a basic introduction to rail freight shipping concepts, practices and access. Resources are included to help make shipping by rail in Iowa easier and more understandable. A directory of Iowa railroad companies is included listing contact information and a basic profile of each network.
The previous Iowa DOT’s Rail Toolkit is available by contacting the DOT Rail Office. Additionally, the Iowa DOT Rail Team will meet regularly with stakeholders and seek input regarding the current content.
Complete Toolkit & Toolkit Sections
- Complete Iowa Rail Toolkit (15mb)
- Preface
- Are you a rail shipper?
- Success stories
- Getting started
- About Iowa's rail system
- Selecting rail as a mode of transportation
- Selecting rail as a mode
- Mode transportation comparisons
- Alternate access to railroads: transloading, team track and public warehouses
- Intermodal
- Carload
- Rail cars
- Developing a rail served facility
- Site selection criteria
- Rail planning and design
- Iowa Economic Development Authority resources
- Freight finance options
- Financing and business assistance
- Finance case studies
- Iowa railroad profiles
- Resource Directory
- Third party logistics services
- Publications
- Trade associations
- Education and certification
- Common railroad terms and acronyms
- Iowa contacts and resources