GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Sep 19, 2026
Single wagonload traffic
In single wagonload traffic (SWL), individual customers consign single freight wagons, which are marshalled into trains, re-sorted at yards en route and delivered individually at the destination.
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Definition & Explanation
In single wagonload traffic (SWL), individual customers consign single freight wagons, which are marshalled into trains, re-sorted at yards en route and delivered individually at the destination. The system serves companies with a private siding or served point whose volume is too small for a block train – typically chemicals, paper, building materials, steel and recycling. Compared with a block train, single wagonload traffic is slower and marshalling-intensive, but it reaches into the area rather than serving only the major hubs. Because shunting is costly, single wagonload traffic depends on public compensation in several European countries; in Switzerland the federal government pays subsidies to SBB Cargo for it.
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