Handling Defective Rail Cars

Announcement Number: AG2013-7
Categories: All Agricultural Products
Posted Date: February 6, 2013

Dear Customer,

In an effort to improve equipment quality and availability, as well as help avoid freight damage — Union Pacific is requesting your assistance in handling defective rail cars. Because Union Pacific is often unaware of equipment quality issues that cause freight damage until after an incident, we are asking loaders and unloaders who detect an issue with a rail car to promptly release empty defective equipment within the Equipment Placement & Release System. Customers already use this system in myUPRR today to spot and release rail cars.

To release empty defective equipment, select the option "Release with Defect" rather than "Release Normal" and choose the reason for the rejection (i.e. "roof hatch damage"). For unloaders that notice a defect in a rail car but don't experience lading damage, it is still essential to release the rail car with noted defects to ensure quality equipment for the next user of the equipment. Unit train customers currently utilizing UTCI for releasing both normal and defective rail cars should continue to use that method. For customers that may experience damaged lading, please continue to follow the process of contacting Union Pacific Freight Claims for resolution.

View a web demo showing the simple steps to release a defective car (a Union Pacific User ID and password is required to view demo).

Thank you for working with your facility crews to properly release empty defective equipment via our website. Your efforts will allow us to route defective cars to the appropriate repair facility, thereby preventing future freight damage. Additionally, removing defective cars from the system promptly for repairs will improve equipment availability for our customers.

If you have any questions please contact your Union Pacific representative.