The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles can be unpowered, or self-propelled, single or multiple units.
In North America, Australia and other countries, the term consist (/ˈkɒnsɪst/ KON-sist) is used to refer to the rolling stock that a train comprises, a list containing specific information for each car of a train, or a group of locomotives.
In the United States, the term rolling stock has been expanded from the older broadly defined "trains" to include wheeled vehicles used by businesses on roadways.
The word stock in the term is used in a sense of inventory. Rolling stock is considered to be a liquid asset, or close to it, since the value of the vehicle can be readily estimated and then shipped to the buyer without much cost or delay. The term contrasts with fixed stock (infrastructure), which is a collective term for the track, signals, stations, other buildings, electric wires, etc., necessary to operate a railway.
Manufacturers
A large number of companies and government agencies in many countries, past and present, have built rolling stock. The list of rolling stock manufacturers covers many of the largest ones.
Gallery
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Variety of rolling stock in rail yard in Germany -
American Steam and diesel locomotives -
Electric locomotive in Romania -
Diesel multiple unit (DMU) -
SBB Electric multiple unit (EMU) -
Articulated diesel railcar -
Passenger cars, also called carriages or coaches - Hopper car, one of many types of revenue freight cars
- Articulated well cars with intermodal containers
- European covered goods wagons
See also
- Goods wagon
- List of rolling stock manufacturers
- List of railway vehicles
- Railroad car