Acacso Conference May 2016, Coeur d’ Alene (ID)
This presentation provides a practical overview of AAR Car Service Directives and explains how they establish specific handling requirements for freight equipment that meets defined criteria. It begins with the history and purpose of Car Service Directives and describes how they supplement the broader Car Service Rules by providing formalized handling instructions for particular types of equipment and operating situations.
The session examines Car Service Directives 145, 150, 175, and 435 in detail. It explains how equipment ownership or control, assignment status, mechanical designation, UMLER transportation codes, pool assignments, and Car Service Rule 16 can determine which directive applies and how an empty car should be handled following unloading.
Through examples and application criteria, the presentation demonstrates when cars should be handled according to owner instructions, returned to the loading point or home road, loaded toward the home road, or handled under other applicable provisions such as SCO 90. It also addresses circumstances in which Car Service Rules 1 and 2 are suspended and Car Hire Rule 22 reclaims may apply.
The presentation is a useful reference for understanding the relationship between Car Service Directives, UMLER equipment information, transportation codes, pool assignments, empty-car routing, and car hire responsibility. Because individual directives and rule requirements can change over time, current AAR rules and directives should be consulted when making operational or accounting decisions.
Car Service Directives, AAR Car Service Directives, CSD 145, CSD 150, CSD 175, CSD 435, Car Service Rules, Circular OT-10, UMLER, UMLER transportation codes, mechanical designations, assigned cars, unassigned cars, equipment pools, Car Service Rule 16, Car Hire Rule 22, Rule 22 reclaims, Car Service Rule 1, Car Service Rule 2, SCO 90, empty car handling, empty car routing, home road, loading road, railroad equipment management, freight car utilization, railroad equipment accounting