>>1243732Yeah, but we don't call them "container portals." They're either called terminals (as in "intermodal/container terminal), or yards. Typically a rail terminal will be called a "yard" or "intermodal yard." Neither of which are technically accurate terms, but they're common.
Intermodal runs a bit differently in the US. There's very little short-run freight like there is in Europe. If something's getting stacked onto a train, chances are that it's heading across AT LEAST three state lines. There are exceptions to that, but they're rare.
Bulk freight is still a big deal here, just as I'd imagine it is there. How else are you supposed to move thousands of tons of coal efficiently, after all? Can't exactly put all that on trucks. It's becoming less of a big deal over time here in the US, as literally every railroad sees the writing on the wall for big bulk trains and is moving to better intermodal.
In general, American freight trains are fucking great at moving high-volume, long-distance loads, but they won't even touch anything that doesn't cross the state line (unless they're a shortline or regional).
