Freight Cars or Engines Standard freight lines use one to three or more engines to pull one to a hundred freight loaded freight cars, this is economical as the fuel cost is distributed among the entire length of the train.  It is not economical when car 'a' has to go to say Chicago, car 'b' to New York, car 'c' to Miami, etc., which causes the entire train to be taken to a Hump yard and split into several specific destination trains.  The idea behind the BorderTransportationSystem self-powered freight cars is that each can independently be sent to the final destination without hours to days of delay at the Hump, i.e., Switching Yards.  Standard couplers will be used so that if the railroad wishes the cars can be hooked together and pulled by one or more engines. Freight cars need to be designed to handle the shipping containers that are currently in use. Special freight units have to be designed for certain chemical and fuels, but do we want to NOT allow these, perhaps. The size and style of the shipping containers will also control the size of the passenger units and the vehicle carrier units for tourist. Each freight unit is to be programmed to exit at the exit where it can connect with the tracks that get it to its destination. We can eliminate turntables, switching yards, days of delays in making up new trains. Freight can be intermixed with passenger units as each unit is self-powered and programmed to avoid hitting each other. Containers should be latched to the flat-car and be removable by crane or by sliding sideways to a roller system or a waiting flatbed truck.  Each unit must be computer ID'ed and tracked. Weight, do we need to weigh each unit, possibly yes, as each will be eventually loaded onto a truck at its destination. What are the load limits of containers?   Index of ... Load Limits for Various Container in Various States