freight train

American  

noun

1. a train of freight cars.

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Etymology

Origin of freight train

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

The February 2023 rail disaster in Tempi, central Greece killed 57 people, most of them young students on a passenger train that collided with a freight train in the middle of the night.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

But when a freight train stalled at a key intersection in the middle of the city, they found themselves stuck on the wrong side of the street for nearly 30 minutes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 20, 2025

When that freight train leaves the station, you want to jump onboard, especially when it’s starting to pick up speed.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 17, 2025

Pugh said he heard hissing before the explosion and then a roaring sound similar to a freight train that lasted for about 30 minutes.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2025

Later, as Florida lay in bed listening to the wail of the freight train passing through Boxton, she thought about the old lunatics and about going down a river in a boat.

From "Ruby Holler" by Sharon Creech