Legal Definitions - rolling stock

Rolling stock refers to all the movable vehicles and equipment that operate on a railway's tracks and are owned by a railroad company. This encompasses everything from the engines that pull trains to the various types of cars designed to carry passengers or freight, as well as specialized maintenance vehicles.

• Example 1: A major freight transportation company, which operates its own rail lines, invests in a new fleet of refrigerated boxcars specifically designed to transport perishable goods across the country. These boxcars are equipped with advanced cooling systems and are added to the company's existing inventory of rail vehicles.

  Explanation: The new refrigerated boxcars are vehicles that operate on the railway's tracks and are owned by the freight transportation company (a railroad). Therefore, they are considered part of the company's rolling stock.

• Example 2: A municipal transit authority, responsible for a city's light rail system, purchases several modern tram cars to expand its service to new neighborhoods. These trams are designed for urban passenger transport and run on the authority's dedicated tracks.

  Explanation: The new tram cars are vehicles that move on the transit authority's rail tracks and are owned by the authority (acting as a railroad operator). As such, they fall under the definition of rolling stock.

• Example 3: A national railway network acquires a specialized rail-mounted crane and several work cars to assist with track repair and infrastructure projects in remote areas. This equipment can travel along the railway lines to reach construction sites.

  Explanation: The rail-mounted crane and work cars are specialized pieces of equipment that operate on the railway's tracks and are owned by the national railway network. Even though they don't carry passengers or freight, their function on the rails for operational purposes makes them rolling stock.