Customer Glossary D-H

D

Damage Free

A freight car designed to handle freight with a minimum of damage to the lading.

Declared Valuation

The valuation placed on a shipment when delivered to a carrier.

Delivering Carrier

The transportation line by which a shipment is delivered to the consignee.

Delivery Switch Road

The road that delivers cars to a customer when the final road haul road does not serve the customer.

Demurrage

A charge made on cars or other equipment held by or for consignor or consignee for loading or unloading, for forwarding directions or for any other purpose.

Density

The weight of an article or container per cubic foot. The ration of mass to bulk or volume. The number of tons carried over a line in a unit of time.

Destination Road

The carrier performing the line haul service nearest to the point of destination and not a carrier performing merely a switching service at the point of destination.

Detail Advance Consist

A sequential listing of all cars scheduled to arrive at a given location on a particular train or job that is normally automatically sent to the OCC as advance information.

Detail Train List

A sequential listing for the crew of all cars on a train or job as it has been reported outbound from a location required to describe the make-up of the train job.

Detention

A charge made on vans/containers held by or for a consignor/consignee for loading or unloading, forwarding directions, or any other purpose. Detention is comparable to demurrage on rail equipment.

Differential

The difference established between rates from related points of origin, or to related points of destination, or via different routes between the same points.

Differential Rate

A rate established via a route from one point to another by deducting a fixed amount from, or adding a fixed amount to the rate via another route between the same points.

Dispatchers

A group of people responsible for identifying which trains should move through which corridors, and at what speed, as well as what trains must move to a siding to let another pass. The dispatchers control an extensive system of electronic signals that act as stoplights to further insure operating safety.

Displacement Light

The weight of a vessel without cargo, fuel or stores.

Distance Rate

Rate applicable according to mileage.

Diversion

A change made in the route of a shipment in transit.

Divert

To change the route of a shipment in transit.

Division of Revenue

The apportionment by carriers of revenue received from joint traffic.

Drayage

The charge made for hauling freight on carts, drays or trucks.

Drayman

A person employed to pick up and deliver freight at a station.

Due-Bill

Bill rendered by a carrier for under-charges.

Dunnage

The material used to protect or support freight in or on rail cars or trailers.

Duty

A tax levied by a government on the importation, exportation or used and consumption of goods.

E

EDI

Electronic Data Interchange . The process of sending and retrieving information electronically, ie Bills of Lading and Freight Bills.

Elevator

A building constructed for the handling of grain.

Elkins Act

A law prohibiting departure from published tariff provisions, making rebates and concessions illegal and providing penalties for violation.

Embargo

To resist or prohibit the acceptance and handling of freight.

Emergency Rate

A rate established to meet an immediate need, and without due regard to the usual rate factors.

Eminent Domain

The power to take property for a necessary public use with reasonable compensation. It is applicable to transportation lines, as they are held to be performing a public function.

En Route

On the way.

Engine

A term frequently used in referring to a locomotive. A unit propelled by any form of energy, or a combination of such units operated from a single control, used in a train or yard service.

Equipment

The rolling stock of a carrier.

Estimated Weight

The weight specifically stated in tariffs for goods shipped in certain packages, or in a certain manner.

Ex Parte

From only one party.

Exceptions to Classifications

Publications containing rules and ratings different from those contained in the major classifications. They are necessary because of exceptional conditions and take precedence over the classification itself.

Exchange Bill of Lading

A bill of lading issued in exchange for another Bill of Lading.

Expiration Notice

A notice in a publication that all or some part of it will become inoperative at a stated time.

Export

To send goods to a foreign country.

Express Service

A service intended for the prompt dispatch of perishable property, valuable property and other traffic that requires quick delivery.

F

Fabrication

Stoppage of metal goods while in transit for further manufacture.

False Billing

Any method of billing freight to receive charges other than the lawful charges on the shipment.

Fixed Charges

Charges which do not vary with an increase or decrease in traffic.

Flammable

Capable of being easily set on fire, combustible.

Flammable Liquid

Any liquid which gives off flammable vapors.

Flat Car

A freight car having a floor without any housing or body above. Frequently used to carry car trailers (TOFC) or oversized/odd-shaped commodities.

Fleet

A group of cars defined by a customer or in-house user. The CLM Fleet System provides car movement information, usually to a customer, on this group of cars. In many instances, in-house users maintain fleets to monitor traffic movement over certain sections of the railroad for certain types of cars.

Foreign Car

Any car not belonging to the particular railway on which it is running.

Foreign Carrier

A term used by a carrier in making references to all other carriers collectively.

Forward Bill

A railroad movement involving at least two railroad carriers of which the UP is the first carrier.

FRA

Federal Railroad Administration - The FRA deals specifically with transportation policy as it affects the nation's railroads and is responsible for enforcement of rail safety laws.

Free Port

A definite area at a seaport for handling duty-exempt import goods.

Free Time

The period allowed the owner to accept delivery before storage or detention charges begin to accrue.

Freight

Goods or property transported.

Freight Bill

Statements containing commodity and payment information.

Destination Freight Bill

A bill rendered by a transportation line to consignee, giving a description of the freight, the name of the shipper, point of origin, weight, and amount of charges.

Prepaid Freight Bill

A bill rendered by a transportation line to shipper, giving a description of the freight, the names of consignee and destination, weight and amount of charges.

Freight Charge

The charge assessed for transporting freight.

Freight Claim

A demand upon a carrier for the payment of Overcharge or Loss or Damage sustained by shipper or consignee.

Freight Forwarder

One who assembles small shipments into one large shipment which is then tendered to a regulated over the road carrier. Upon reaching destination, the shipment is separated into small shipments and delivered.

Freight House

The station facility of a transportation line of receiving and delivering freight.

Freight Rate

A figure representing the amount charged for a given unit of weight between two points.

G

Gateway

A point through which freight commonly moves from one territory to another.

General Hold

Placing a car in a non-movement status when no other hold event applied.

General Order

A fixed rule that import goods will be stored in a bonded warehouse unless cleared through customs within forty-eight hours after the time the ship reports to the Collector of Customs.

General Service Car

A car that is not specially equipped, is not included in the various AAR car service directive, is handled per AAR car service rules and is used for general purpose loading.

Gondola

A car used to haul bulk commodities and heavy metals. This car type has sides and ends and a level floor. It is usually without a top covering, although there are also covered gondolas.

Grain Door

Boards placed against the door of a car to prevent leakage of grain.

Gross Ton

2,240 pounds

Gross Weight

(a) the weight of an article together with the weight of its container and the material used is packing.

(b) As applied to a car or trailer the weight of the equipment together with the weight of the entire Contents.

Guide Book

A tariff containing instructions for waybilling and routing shipments and which gives bases for rates to certain points.

H

Haulage

A legal agreement between two rail partners. The owner of the agreement is referred to as the 'Haulage Rights Carrier'. The other partner is referred to as the 'Haulage Movement Carrier'. With this agreement, the 'rights carrier' requests the 'movement carrier' to move equipment over an agreed segment of track, but to outside parties it appears as if the 'rights carrier' is doing the work.

Hazardous STCC

A commodity code for materials which are explosive, flammable, radioactive, or corrosive. Because they can be extremely dangerous in the event of an accident, their movement is highly regulated. Any commodities officially classified as hazardous are assigned a STCC number that begins with 49.

Heater Service

The protection of freezable freight by use of a heater.

Hog Law

Employees in certain crafts on the railroad are required by law not to work over a definite number of hours in each 24 hour period.

Hold Track

A track on which cars are held awaiting disposal orders.

Hopper

A car (covered or open top) with a floor that slopes from the ends and sides and discharges its contents by gravity through doors at the bottom.

Hot Box

The end of each axle on a pair of wheels under a freight car extend into a journal box, and rotates under a brass sleeve. If there is not lubricant between the brass and the axle, then friction will cause that journal to run hot. Hot boxes are also possible on axles equipped with roller bearings.

Hot Cut

The process of assigning a destination to equipment received from an interchange carrier before a waybill can be provided for that equipment. The waybill must catch up with the equipment before it arrives at destination.

Hump Yard

A switching yard with an elevated track or hump over which cars are pushed by a switching locomotive to travel by gravity to a classification track or other designated points.