A thermal ballasting method includes providing a train having LNG, routing the train to scheduled stops along a train route, forming a ballast cryogen by condensing an atmospheric gas within the train, producing a latent heat, evaporating the LNG by transferring the latent heat to the LNG, forming a natural gas, fueling the train by consuming the natural gas, and delivering the ballast cryogen to an LNG storage site positioned along the train route.