CE 515 Railroad Engineering

Armstrong Chapter 8: Railroad Operation – Moving From Here

to There

“Transportation exists to conquer space and time -”

Interchange

“Transfer of cars from one road to another at a common junction”

• ~20% of all carloads travel on more than 1 companies lines

• Greater than half of shipments are individual cars or small groupings

Contract Rates

• 70% of freight moves under contracted rates

• Contract must cover the same matters as a tariff

• Terms of a contract are not public information

Rating the Shipment

• When not under contract railroad must establish and provide equivalent price information

• 30% of freight moves under published rates

http://c02.my.uprr.com/cdm/pricedocument/price_document.jas

Bill of Lading

• Contract of carriage between the shipper and the rail lineo Legal contract once signed by shipper

• Two Main Typeso Open – Prepaido Order – Consignee must pay shipper

Waybill

• Contract between railroads involved in movement of shipment

• Contains information to help keep track of the car and shipment

• Last road handling road-haul carrier responsible for collecting freight charges

• If handled by multiple carriers kept on central file

WaybillCar number and initials

Waybill numberWaybill Date

Origin stationName of

Shipper

Consignee

Destination cityRoute car will travel

Commodity CodePhysical

Description and Weight

Applicable rate and total freight charges

Other Computer Operations

• Continuous Inventory Car System Locationo Produces switch lists

• Wheel Reporto List of cars in a train containing information on destination,

weight and load status

• Consist Reporto Includes date, location and car numbers in a train

Switching

• Switch listo List which directs switching crews of which car goes where

• Interchange delivery report o Confirms car has been turned over to new rail line

Arriving at Destination

• Consignee is notified once it reaches its destinationo Order car to be sent to sidingo Order car by number

• Rail line delivers to Consignee o Must unload within established timeo If not goes into demurrage

• Freight bill prepared

Order Bill of Lading

• Consignee must provide proof of payment for goods to be releasedo Order bill from banko Consignee bond on fileo Certified check

• Company has 120 hours to pay freight charges

Switching Complexities

• Delivery to consignee siding done in 3 types of switcheso Intraplanto Intraterminalo Interterminal

• Switching charges

Interline Settlements

• Central computer determines each rails share of revenueo Rail lines must approve or question shares

• Settlement occurs once a montho Net balances settled

Other Factors

• Equal Access

• Public Loading Facilities

• Short Line Railroading

• Commodities Clause

Tariffs• Class Rates

o Used with one-of-a kind occasional shipmentso Move less than 1% of freight traffic

• Commodity Rateso Rate for a particular commodity or itemo Specific from one point or area to another

Tariffs

• Ex Parte Changeso Across the board increases due to inflation

• Incentive Rateso Encourage shipments in more economical terms

• Processing-in-Transit Rateso Allows a shipment which stops for processing to be

counted as 1 single trip

Questions?