A flatcar is a
railroad car, consisting of a flat platform with
tie-downs, used for transportation of various goods. In the United States, the
National Guard and other branches of the Armed Forces use them to move tanks and troop transport vehicles. Flatcars are usually around 40-50ft long.
These days, bulkhead flatcars make up the majority of flatcars on the rails, and a plain old flatcar is an uncommon sight.