A rail car door closer is provided to improve the speed and/or safety with which heavy rail car doors are closed to overcome deficiencies in convention al methods and devices relying on movement of the rail car or manual leverage. The rail car door closer assembly (10) includes a movable base portion havin g a rotatable member (70) rotationally disposed thereon. The movable base portion is coupled to a drive system (40) configured to translate the movabl e base portion along a rail or a track (20) disposed adjacent a railroad track rail. Rotatable member (70) is positioned to contact an open rail car door and, upon movement of the movable base portion of the rail car door closer assembly (10) along the track (20) in a closing direction of the door, the door is closed.
