A specialized piece of rolling stock built to haul cattle, hogs, sheep, or horses. These cars feature slatted wooden or metal sides to provide ventilation and prevent animals from suffocating. They are often equipped with internal feed and water troughs to sustain livestock during long transit times.
Heard on the job
We need to spot those empty stock cars by the loading chutes before the cattle drive arrives.
Insider tip
Transporting livestock by rail is mostly a historic practice, as trucking took over the trade.
Also heard as
- cattle car