Q. I'm new to rail. How do I get started?
A. Please take some time to
Get Acquainted. This will help start you off on the right track.
Q. What information do I need to request a price?
A. You will need the product description, origin and destination rail station, and name of the serving carriers.
Q. How do I get a price?
A. You can find a price in our convenient
price lists maintained online. We already have prices established with most carriers, so getting a rate is a snap. Or you can contact your CSX representative.
Q. What do I do if I want to ship via rail using that price?
A. If the price is already published in a price list on the web, you can ship now. If it is a price offered online, follow the guidelines provided with that price - typically the rate is valid starting at the next 12:01 a.m. after you accept the price. If it is an offer from your CSX representative, contact them at least 48 hours before you plan to ship your load and advise them you have accepted the price and plan to ship using that rate.
Q. I am finished loading the car. How do I ship it?
A. You need to submit shipping instructions (or bill of lading) to CSX.
Q. How do I pay my freight bills?
A. Use ShipCSX, our secure website. If you are not already set up with ShipCSX or want to learn how to use this feature, call 1-877-ShipCSX (1-877-744-7279), option 2 to learn more. You can also go online to register for ShipCSX.
Q. I want to import/export my product from/to Mexico, Canada, or overseas. Can CSX help me?
A. Yes. CSX has an experienced
International team ready and able to answer your international transportation questions.
Q. Do I have to use a certain car for the products I ship?
A. Certain products require
specific car types to safely ship your products. Contact a sales representative for the commodity you are shipping, the
Load Engineering group or your customer service representative.
Q. How do I order a car?
A. You can use ShipCSX to order a car. If you are not already set up with ShipCSX or want to learn how to use this feature, call 1-877-ShipCSX (1-877-744-7279), option 2 to learn more. You can also go online to register for ShipCSX.
Q. I need to determine how to load a rail car. Who can help me?
A. Our Load Engineering And Design Services (L.E.A.D.S.) team is widely recognized as one of the best in the business. A quick call to them can get you loading in no time at all. Their phone number is 1-800-327-9715.
Q. What are dunnage and airbags? Why do I need them?
A. These are all tools used to secure and protect your products. This also ensures the safety of railroad workers and the public. At CSX, safety is a way of life and we take safety seriously.
Q. What are shipping instructions?
A. It is a document used to establish the terms of a contract between the shipper and a transportation company. It serves as a document of title, a contract of carriage, and a receipt for goods.
Q. How do I submit shipping instructions to CSX?
A. Use ShipCSX, our secure website. If you are not already set up with ShipCSX or want to learn how to use this feature, call 1-877-ShipCSX (1-877-744-7279), option 2 to learn more. You can also go online to register for ShipCSX.
Q. Does CSX offer credit?
A. CSX does offer credit to customers meeting certain requirements. You can access our
credit application online. You can also call 1-877-ShipCSX (1-877-744-7279) or your sales representative for assistance.
Q. What is demurrage? How do I manage it?
A. Demurrage describes the charges from holding cars beyond the time allowed for loading or unloading. Using First In - First Out (FIFO) will help reduce demurrage. CSX offers
online tools and ideas you can use as well. Refer to the
CSX 8100 tariff for rules regarding demurrage.
Q. What is Rule 11?
A. Rule 11 refers to the practice of separately billing for rail charges by each carrier. As a rule of thumb, if you request Rule 11 freight charge billing on your bill of lading, you will get a freight bill from each rail carrier that touches your load.
Q. What if my product is damaged while in transit?
A. If you suspect damage resulted in transit, report it immediately to our inspectors at 1-800-432-1032. They can assist you.
Q. How do I get a bundled price to include rail, warehouse, and trucking to final destination?
A. CSX and its subsidiary TRANSFLO can offer you many solutions to your logistics needs. Contact your CSX representative today or visit
TRANSFLO.net 
or call 1-877-ShipCSX (1-877-744-7279), option 3.
Q. What if my customer is not located on rail?
A. CSX and its subsidiary TRANSFLO can offer you multi-modal solutions to your logistics needs. Our extensive warehouse network can help you take advantage of the value of rail, one truckload at a time. Contact your CSX representative today or visit
TRANSFLO.net or call 1-877-ShipCSX (1-877-744-7279), option 3.
Q. What is the North American Boxcar Pool? How can I use it?
A. This is a rail industry-wide effort to create greater asset availability by combining boxcars (50' RUF and 50' CUF) owned by various railroads into one large pool, used by its participating members. To take advantage of it, all you need to do is order a boxcar. We'll take care of the rest.
Q. Is car cleaning really necessary?
A. Yes, it really is. It is a requirement in the UFC-6000 that all receivers clean the cars before returning them to the rail carriers. It also just makes good business sense. Car cleaning can cause up to three lost days of productivity per shipment. That adds up to a lot of lost opportunities to ship by rail.
Q. Is rail safe for my product?
A. Yes, rail makes great sense for many products. With the proper car type and loading plan, you can safely ship many types of products.
Q. How does rail help our highway system?
A. As our nation's interstate highway system becomes more and more crowded, rail can help alleviate the congestion on the roads. Find out more from the
Association of American Railroads (AAR) website .
Building Materials: FAQs