Boxcars are the workhorses of the railroad, economically moving dry goods and bulk freight from coast to coast, and from factories to distributors everywhere in between. From the early to mid-20th century, the 40' Boxcar was the standard size offered by most major railcar manufacturers. Useful for hauling both long-distance bulk shipments and smaller mixed loads for local deliveries, the type remains one of the most iconic freight cars in American history.