Requirements to Ship Metal Products
Our most important mission is to provide a safe working environment for our employees, in concert with providing a safe, damage-free transportation system for our customers' products. With that in mind, Union Pacific has these guidelines for Metal Products Shipped In Intermodal Units (Intermodal Terns & Conditions Attachment B, Section F).
All questions regarding the following process can be directed to our Load Consulting Engineers.
Requirements to Ship Metal Products
- All coil, roll, reel, spooled or ingot metal product shipments offered for transportation on Union Pacific can move only under a contract agreement, properly executed and retained on file, with Union Pacific. A copy of the contract is available in ITC Attachment B, Section F. No coil shipments exceeding 3,500 lbs per unitized grouping can move without a signed contractual agreement.
- All coils, rolls, reels, spools or ingot metal shipments must be identified on the shipping papers/waybill by the appropriate STCC, and the commodity description "Coiled Metal Product" must also appear on the waybill and all associated paperwork.
- All coil, roll, reel, or spool metal shipments must be shipped in containers/trailers which have been approved for metal coil loading by the equipment owner/supplier.
- All coil, roll, reel, or spool metal shipments, shipped on and secured to a Load Roll Pallet (LRP), or an equivalent weight distribution system designed to distribute the weight of the product over the container's/trailer's floor surface area, not exceeding a weight distribution of 25,000 pounds per ten linear feet (or 2,500 pounds per linear foot, equivalent). No exceptions. All Load Roll Pallet designs must be approved by a representative of Union Pacific's mechanical maintenance or damage prevention groups.
- All coils on pallets must be secured to the pallet. Blocking and bracing for all coils on pallets must be approved by representatives of Union Pacific's mechanical maintenance or damage prevention groups.
- The maximum per coil weight is limited to 12,500 lbs.
- All coil, roll, reel, or spool shipments will be subject to inspections to insure that all documentation and securement of the product is in order.
Requirements for Securing Metal Products
- The coils, roll, reels, or spools needs to be palletized or on the prescribed Load Roll Pallet (LRP).
- The coils must be banded to the pallet with 1-1/2" steel banding for coils less than or equal to 5,000 lbs; 2" banding for coils greater than 5,000 lbs.
- The maximum coil weight is 12,500 lbs.
- All products must be blocked and braced with 2x6" laminated (two high) dimensional lumber longitudinally and laterally, with 16 penny nails applied in a staggered nailing pattern spaced 4 to 5 inches apart.
- The maximum floor load must not exceed 2,500 lbs. per linear foot, evenly distributed over the floor area.
- Coil slits on a pallet must be unitized in stacks, not to exceed 45 inches high.
- All coils, rolls, reels or spools must have an executed contract prior to shipment.
- Sample Coil Metal Products Loading Diagram