6-digit U.S. detail
482112
Short Line Railroads
Description
This U.S. industry comprises establishments known as short-line railroads primarily engaged in operating railroads for the transport of cargo over a short distance on local rail lines not part of a rail network.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | Transportation and Warehousing 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Transportation and Warehousing sector includes industries providing transportation of passengers and cargo, warehousing and storage for goods, scenic and sightseeing transportation, and support activities related to modes of transportation. Establishments in these industries use transportation equipment or transportation-related facilities as a productive asset. The type of equipment depends on the mode of transportation. The modes of transportation are air, rail, water, road, and pipeline. The Transportation and Warehousing sector distinguishes three basic types of activities: subsectors for each mode of transportation, a subsector for warehousing and storage, and a subsector for establishments providing support activities for transportation. In addition, there are subsectors for establishments that provide passenger transportation for scenic and sightseeing purposes, postal services, and courier services. A separate subsector for support activities is established in the sector because, first, support activities for transportation are inherently multimodal, such as freight transportation arrangement, or have multimodal aspects. Secondly, there are production process similarities among the support activity industries. One of the support activities identified in the Support Activities for Transportation subsector is the routine repair and maintenance of transportation equipment (e.g., aircraft at an airport, railroad rolling stock at a railroad terminal, or ships at a harbor or port facility). Such establishments do not perform complete overhauling or rebuilding of transportation equipment (i.e., periodic restoration of transportation equipment to original design specifications) or transportation equipment conversion (i.e., major modification to systems). An establishment that primarily performs factory (or shipyard) overhauls, rebuilding, or conversions of aircraft, railroad rolling stock, or ships is classified in Subsector 336, Transportation Equipment Manufacturing, according to the type of equipment. Many of the establishments in this sector often operate on networks, with physical facilities, labor forces, and equipment spread over an extensive geographic area. Warehousing establishments in this sector are distinguished from merchant wholesaling in that the warehouse establishments do not sell the goods. Excluded from this sector are establishments primarily engaged in providing travel agent, travel arrangement, and reservation services that support transportation establishments, hotels, other businesses, and government agencies. These establishments are classified in Sector 56, Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services. Establishments primarily engaged in providing rental and leasing of transportation equipment without operator are classified in Subsector 532, Rental and Leasing Services. Establishments primarily engaged in providing medical care with transportation are classified in Sector 62, Health Care and Social Assistance. |
| 482 | Rail Transportation 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Rail Transportation subsector provide rail transportation of passengers and/or cargo using railroad rolling stock. The railroads in this subsector primarily either operate on networks, with physical facilities, labor force, and equipment spread over an extensive geographic area, or operate over a short distance on a local rail line. Scenic and sightseeing rail transportation and street railroads, commuter rail, and rapid transit are not included in this subsector but are included in Subsector 487, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, and Subsector 485, Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation, respectively. Although these activities use railroad rolling stock, they are different from the activities included in rail transportation. Sightseeing and scenic railroads do not usually involve place-to-place transportation; the passenger's trip typically starts and ends at the same location. Commuter railroads operate in a manner more consistent with local and urban transit and are often part of integrated transit systems. |
| 4821 | Rail Transportation 4-digit industry group | Industries in the Rail Transportation subsector provide rail transportation of passengers and/or cargo using railroad rolling stock. The railroads in this subsector primarily either operate on networks, with physical facilities, labor force, and equipment spread over an extensive geographic area, or operate over a short distance on a local rail line. Scenic and sightseeing rail transportation and street railroads, commuter rail, and rapid transit are not included in this subsector but are included in Subsector 487, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, and Subsector 485, Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation, respectively. Although these activities use railroad rolling stock, they are different from the activities included in rail transportation. Sightseeing and scenic railroads do not usually involve place-to-place transportation; the passenger's trip typically starts and ends at the same location. Commuter railroads operate in a manner more consistent with local and urban transit and are often part of integrated transit systems. |
| 48211 | Rail Transportation 5-digit NAICS industry | This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating railroads (except street railroads, commuter rail, urban rapid transit, and scenic and sightseeing trains). Line-haul railroads and short-line railroads are included in this industry. |
| 482112 | Short Line Railroads 6-digit U.S. detail | This U.S. industry comprises establishments known as short-line railroads primarily engaged in operating railroads for the transport of cargo over a short distance on local rail lines not part of a rail network. |
Need a supply chain stack that maps to this industry?
Use this NAICS classification as the starting point, then connect it to Item workflows across inventory, warehousing, order management, fulfillment, and transportation.
Classification References
- 01Operating street railroads, commuter rail, and urban rapid transit systems--are classified in Industry Group 4851, Urban Transit Systems;
- 02Operating scenic and sightseeing trains--are classified in Industry 487110, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land;
- 03Operating switching and terminal facilities as separate establishments--are classified in Industry 488210, Support Activities for Rail Transportation; and
- 04Operating railroads for the transport of passengers and/or cargo over a long distance--are classified in U.S. Industry 482111, Line-Haul Railroads.
Index Items
Beltline railroads
Freight railways, short-line or beltline
Logging railroads
Railroad transportation, short-line or beltline
Railroads, short-line or beltline
Railway transportation, short-line or beltline
Short-line railroads
How Item Can Help
Our Data Intelligence platform analyzes historical shipment patterns to predict demand fluctuations, enabling short line railroads to allocate resources dynamically and minimize empty miles.
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 482112.
Association of American Railroads
The leading trade association representing US railroads including short line carriers.
Federal Railroad Administration
Government agency responsible for regulatory oversight and safety standards for freight railroads.
RailRegulator.org
Industry directory and resource center specifically focused on US short line and regional railroads.
