A rail-road intermodal freight system. In an embodiment, a conveyor system is provided for placing rail cars in a position for loading shipping containers thereon, while an over-the-road trailer is secured to the rail car. Rail cars have a frame with a front end and a rear end, and a bogie having at least four flanged rail wheels is pivotally mounted to the rear of the frame of the rail car. A method for unloading the rail cars includes lifting the front of the frame of the rail cars and pivoting the rail cars by an angle alpha from the track direction at an unloading area, and lowering the front end of the frame to the ground to allow truck access to trailers on the rail car. By utilizing the method, efficient loading and unloading of train involved in intermodal shipments may save considerable time, and thus reduce costs.