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Use our Carload Shipping Advisor tool to obtain a price for shipping panel products.
Watch a demo of the Carload Shipping Advisory now (no login necessary).
Pricing Tools and Resources
Key STCCs (Standard Transportation Commodity Codes)
Key STCCs for panel products (but not limited to):
| STCC |
Description |
STCC |
Description |
| 24321 |
Plywood |
24991 |
OSB |
| 24996 |
Particleboard/MDF |
32754 |
Gypsum wallboard |
Boxcar
This video covers the safe operation of boxcar doors.
This video covers the tools available for customers to report a railcar's condition.
| Specifications Table |
Diagram (50 ft) |
Diagram (60 ft) |
| Inside Length |
50 ft |
60 ft |
| Inside Height |
13 ft |
13 ft |
| Inside Width |
9.6 ft |
9.6 ft |
| Door Type |
Plug |
Sliding and plug |
| Door Width |
10.6 ft to 16 ft |
10.6 ft to 16 ft |
| Lading Capacity |
185,000 to 215,000 lbs |
201,000 to 209,000 lbs |
| Cubic Foot Capacity |
6,100 to 6,250 |
7,500 |
| Plate |
F |
F, G |
** All materials are provided for informational purposes only; BNSF makes no warranty regarding accuracy and shall not be liable for any errors and/or omissions. Materials are subject to change at any time without notice or publication. Please consult with the Equipment Department for the most up to date and accurate data.
Centerbeam
| Specifications Table |
Diagram (60 ft) |
Diagram (73 ft) |
| Inside Length |
60 ft |
73 ft |
| Lading Capacity |
198,000 to 200,000 lbs |
195,000 to 225,000 lbs |
| Floor Type |
Risers |
Risers/Riserless |
** All materials are provided for informational purposes only; BNSF makes no warranty regarding accuracy and shall not be liable for any errors and/or omissions. Materials are subject to change at any time without notice or publication. Please consult with the Equipment Department for the most up to date and accurate data.
Bulkhead Flatcar
Some of the commodities transported include structural steel, pipe, steel plate, and some lumber products.
| Specifications Table |
Diagram (56ft) |
Diagram (60ft) |
Diagram (62ft) |
Diagram (66ft) |
Diagram (70ft) |
| Inside Length |
56.8 ft |
60.8 ft |
62 ft |
66 ft |
70 ft |
| Inside Width |
9.3 ft to 10.5 ft |
8.2 ft to 10.6 ft |
9.3 ft to 10.6 ft |
10 ft |
8.8 ft |
| Lading Capacity |
143,500 to 196,000 lbs |
178,500 to 186,000 lbs |
163,400 to 205,100 lbs |
183,500 to 188,600 lbs |
173,800 to 181,200 lbs |
** All materials are provided for informational purposes only; BNSF makes no warranty regarding accuracy and shall not be liable for any errors and/or omissions. Materials are subject to change at any time without notice or publication. Please consult with the Equipment Department for the most up to date and accurate data.
Private Equipment Guidelines
The following section contains guidelines and information for the use of privately marked equipment in which BNSF is the origination line-haul carrier.
Private rail equipment must meet the Association of American Railroads' Circular OT-5 for Rules Governing the Assignment of Reporting Marks, Mechanical Designations,
and Use. Privately marked equipment must obtain loading authority from the origin line-haul carrier and the equipment must be registered via the OT-5 process
that is administered by Railinc. To register, you will need your CIF number, proper UMLER information and the car numbers to be registered.
For more information, please visit Railinc's Loading Authority (OT-5) web site.
- Prior to securing privately marked equipment to be loaded at a location where BNSF is the origin line haul carrier, customers/controlling entities must discuss equipment options with their BNSF Sales representative.
- Private equipment controlling entities must submit an application for loading authority (OT-5) via the RailInc registration system. Applications must be approved prior to the privately marked equipment being moved for loading at BNSF line haul origin locations. Cars can be pre-approved via the RailInc registration system as well.
- BNSF may decline an OT-5 application for multiple reasons, including safety, mechanical factors or inadequate storage. Scroll down to see BNSF Mechanical requirements.
- Private equipment controlling entities are required to manage the flow (pipeline) of empty equipment moving to BNSF origin line haul locations or connecting carrier serving locations to preserve network fluidity.
- BNSF may require private equipment controlling entities to move equipment off-line at their expense to preserve network fluidity.
- Private equipment is subject to charges for equipment held for loading and unloading, and also equipment held for purposes other than loading or unloading.
- BNSF may terminate previously granted loading authority as a result of guidance of the AAR Interchange Rules, expiration date of lease connected to original OT-5 application, equipment becoming over age, inadequate storage, mechanical or safety issues.
OT-5 FAQs
See the OT-5 Frequently Asked Questions.
SAFETY IS BNSF'S MAIN PRIORITY
The following is not all inclusive however equipment must comply with all of the following key Mechanical Requirements:
- All interchange freight car owners must subscribe to the AAR Interchange Rules and be listed in FindUs.Rail.
- Cars must comply with and be maintained, by the owner, per the AAR Office and Field Manual Rules.
- All AAR Field Manual Rules (Sections A.1 and A.2 defects along with any component obsolete or prohibited in interchange) must be repaired or replaced prior to placement of the cars on BNSF.
- All cars must have yellow FRA 224 compliant reflectorization with the application date registered in Umler (no grandfathered material allowed).
- Angle cocks located below the coupler as shown in AAR Field Manual Rule 5 Figure 14 are prohibited.
- Greater than 268,000 Pound Gross Rail Load Freight Cars of any car type must meet one of the following criteria:
- Cars are approved by the AAR per Specification S-286 or
- Cars are approved by the AAR per Specification S-259 and the following is met: Cars must be equipped with constant contact side bearings, preferably long travel.
- Cars must be registered with the proper Star Code.
- 286,000 Pound Gross Rail Load Freight Cars of any car type less than 44 feet 11 inches in overall length must have route specifically approved by BNSF due to bridge loading concerns. The following link can assist in route selections: Rail Network Maps.
- Flat Cars of any type and capacity must be equipped with constant contact side bearings. Long travel constant contact side bearings are preferred.
- Covered Hoppers must have outlet gates that seal completely. The sealing member must be maintained in good condition and not allow product to bypass the gaskets/seals and leak onto the ground. All gates must be of a positive lock design with security seal capability.
- Cars equipped with one or more rotary couplers must be equipped with anti-gravity locks on both ends.
- All Cars must meet AAR and FRA Safety Appliance Standards.
- Gondola, and bulkhead flat cars must be equipped with crossover platform and associated safety appliances on both ends.
- Bottom dump coal hopper cars equipped with door line air hose must have this hose in the "low" configuration as to not block the crossover platform.
- Tank cars must be equipped with a Group R "weather resistant" slack adjuster
Foreign Marked Equipment Guidelines
Foreign marked equipment is defined as equipment having reporting marks of a non-BNSF controlled railroad or equipment that contains non-private marks. Private marks are defined as equipment initials ending with an X, with the exception of TTX owned/controlled equipment.
- Request for assignment of foreign marked equipment should be in accordance of Car Service Rule 16. Requests should be made to your BNSF representative.
- BNSF reserves the right not to use foreign marked equipment when BNSF controlled equipment is available. If no agreement exist with customers/controlling entities to utilize foreign marked cars, BNSF may refuse to place non-BNSF marked equipment for loading and may return them to the railroad whose marks are stenciled on the cars.
- Prior to securing foreign marked equipment to be loaded at a location where BNSF is the origin line haul carrier, customers/controlling entities must discuss equipment options with their BNSF Sales representative.
Loading Origin Guarantees
Shippers have the ability to guarantee equipment supply through BNSF's Loading Origins Guarantee (LOGs) program. See more information on the LOGs program.
