The amount of cargo or passengers that a railroad car or automobile can hold.
From 'car' (from Latin 'carra,' a wheeled vehicle) plus 'load' (from Old English 'hlād,' meaning a burden or cargo). Compounds emerged with railroad expansion in the 19th century.
During the industrial boom, railroads charged by the 'carload'—this single unit measurement transformed commerce because it made shipping predictable and standardized, helping to create modern supply chains.
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