RAIL vs. SILJ

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

RAIL (FreightCar America, Inc.) is a stock, while SILJ (Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF) is Silver fund tracking the Nasdaq Junior Silver Miners Index. Over the past 10 years, RAIL returned -6.24%/yr vs 10.08%/yr for SILJ. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

RAIL vs. SILJ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FreightCar America, Inc. (RAIL) and Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RAIL achieves a -33.60% return, which is significantly lower than SILJ's 6.61% return. Over the past 10 years, RAIL has underperformed SILJ with an annualized return of -6.24%, while SILJ has yielded a comparatively higher 10.08% annualized return.

RAIL

• 1D: -2.91%
• 1M: -8.81%
• YTD: -33.60%
• 6M: -12.50%
• 1Y: -11.87%
• 3Y*: 36.66%
• 5Y*: 3.03%
• 10Y*: -6.24%

SILJ

• 1D: -5.24%
• 1M: 2.57%
• YTD: 6.61%
• 6M: 16.40%
• 1Y: 111.95%
• 3Y*: 47.77%
• 5Y*: 13.13%
• 10Y*: 10.08%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

RAIL vs. SILJ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
RAIL FreightCar America, Inc.	-33.60%	23.55%	231.85%	-15.63%	-13.28%	53.11%	16.43%	-69.06%	-60.83%	16.26%
SILJ Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF	6.61%	183.89%	6.39%	-5.21%	-15.42%	-23.21%	33.00%	57.06%	-27.95%	-5.65%

Correlation

The correlation between RAIL and SILJ is 0.31, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.31
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.20
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.21
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.12
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 30, 2012	0.13

The correlation between RAIL and SILJ shifts across timeframes, from 0.12 (10 years) to 0.31 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

RAIL vs. SILJ — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

RAIL

RAIL Risk / Return Rank: 33
RAIL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
RAIL Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
RAIL Omega Ratio Rank: 33
RAIL Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
RAIL Martin Ratio Rank: 33

SILJ

SILJ Risk / Return Rank: 54
SILJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
SILJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 46
SILJ Omega Ratio Rank: 51
SILJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
SILJ Martin Ratio Rank: 47

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

RAIL vs. SILJ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FreightCar America, Inc. (RAIL) and Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	RAIL	SILJ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.19	2.05	-2.24
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.16	2.35	-2.19
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.02	1.32	-0.30
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.24	3.24	-3.48
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.43	7.99	-8.42
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RAIL vs. SILJ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RAIL Sharpe Ratio is -0.19, which is lower than the SILJ Sharpe Ratio of 2.05. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RAIL and SILJ, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	RAIL	SILJ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.19	2.05	-2.24
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.04	0.30	-0.25
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.09	0.22	-0.30
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.07	0.09	-0.16

Drawdowns

RAIL vs. SILJ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RAIL drawdown since its inception was -98.88%, which is greater than SILJ's maximum drawdown of -79.04%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RAIL and SILJ.

Drawdown Indicators

	RAIL	SILJ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-98.88%	-79.04%	-19.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-50.34%	-34.71%	-15.63%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-71.67%	-34.71%	-36.96%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-71.67%	-55.47%	-16.20%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-96.23%	-70.06%	-26.17%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-89.20%	-26.80%	-62.40%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-71.85%	-41.43%	-30.42%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	27.38%	14.06%	+13.32%

Volatility

RAIL vs. SILJ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FreightCar America, Inc. (RAIL) is 12.90%, while Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) has a volatility of 18.69%. This indicates that RAIL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SILJ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RAIL	SILJ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	12.90%	18.69%	-5.79%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	45.80%	45.24%	+0.56%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	62.94%	54.90%	+8.04%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	69.26%	44.35%	+24.91%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	73.68%	46.24%	+27.44%

Dividends

RAIL vs. SILJ - Dividend Comparison

RAIL has not paid dividends to shareholders, while SILJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.88%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
RAIL FreightCar America, Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	1.58%	2.41%	1.85%
SILJ Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF	1.88%	2.00%	7.26%	0.01%	0.05%	0.36%	1.23%	1.45%	1.66%	0.00%	0.52%	2.46%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RAIL and SILJ in my portfolio?

RAIL and SILJ have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RAIL or SILJ?

SILJ has higher volatility (18.69%) compared to RAIL (12.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RAIL dropped -98.88% vs SILJ's -79.04%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SILJ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.05 vs -0.19), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.