Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

Assignment No. 1

Car Ordering and Loading

34 is one of the important rules governing car

Rordering. Empty lugs returning are subject to this rule,

which reads in part as follows:

"When a shipper orders a car 36 ft. in length and carrier furnishes longer car, the minimum weight for the car furnished shall be that fixed for the car ordered; except that when the loading capacity of the car is used, the minimum weight shall be that fixed for the car furnished.”

"If a longer car than ordered is furnished, the following notation must be made on the bill of lading:

"36 ft. car ordered; .. ft. car furnished, carrier's convenience."

"Except when furnished by carrier, in place of a shorter car ordered, if a car over 36 ft. in length is used by shipper without previous order having been placed by shipper with carrier for a car of such size, the minimum weight shall be that fixed for the car used."

In ordering cars for empty lug boxes, always specify a 36 ft. new stock car. When larger cars are furnished always place above notation on bill of lading: Be specific: "Empty lug boxes returning," or "Empty lug boxes return paying load."

Loading Cars

The law recognizes the obligation on the part of the shipper to secure the load for safe carriage; therefore:

Temporary blocking, flooring, or lining, racks, standards, strips, stakes, or similar bracing, dunnage or supports, not constituting a part of the car, when required to protect and make carload freight secure for shipment, must be furnished and installed by the shipper at his expense.

Shippers must observe carrier's rules regulating safe loading of freight and protection of equipment. Freight in closed cars must be so loaded as to prevent any contact with car doors during transit, and weight of lading must be approximately the same on each side of car.

To "prevent any contact (of freight) with car doors dur

ing transit," doors of cars should be stripped with 1" x 4" timbers applied flush with door posts in a way so as to afford a bearing on each layer of cases.

Marking-L. C. L.

Each package of freight must be plainly, legibly and durably marked by brush, stencil, marking crayon (not chalk), rubber type, metal type, pasted label (label must be securely attached with glue or equally good adhesive), tags (tags must be made of metal, leather, cloth, or tag board, and must be fastened at all corners and center with large headed tacks or tag fasteners), showing the name of only one consignee, and of only one station, town or city, and state to which destined.

[ocr errors]

When consigned to a place of which there are two or more of the same name in the same state, the name of the county must also be shown.

When consigned to a place not located on the line of the carrier, it must also be marked with the name of the station at which consignee will accept delivery.

When consigned "to order," it must be so marked, and further marked with an identifying symbol or number which must be shown on shipping order, and bill of lading.

Freight in excess of full cars must be marked as required for less than carload freight except where such excess is 20,000 pounds or more.

When carload freight, the authorized minimum weight for which is 30,000 lbs. or more, is received in excess of the quantity that can be loaded in or on one car, the following shall apply:

The shipment must be made from one station, by one shipper, in one day, on one shipping order, or bill of lading, to one consignee, and destination. Each car, except the car carrying the excess, must be loaded as heavily as loading conditions will permit, to the marked capacity of the car if practicable.

Carriers may handle the excess through freight stations, and may load other freight in car carrying the excess.

Freight in excess of full cars must be marked as required for less than carload freight. This rule will not apply when loaded in refrigerator cars, nor on freight, the authorized minimum carload weight for which is less than 30,000 lbs.,

nor in freight, the minimum carload weight for which are subject to Rule No. 34.

When freight is loaded by shipper and at "shipper's count," the carrier will not be responsible, directly or indirectly, for damage resulting from improper storage or insufficient packages, or for any discrepancy in count.

You will therefore secure clean bill of lading on all shipments. In any case where carrier refuses clean bill of lading, notify traffic department at once.

When the condition of a car is defective and reasonably within the knowledge of the shipper, he would be held to contribute to the negligence of the carrier if he knowingly places his freight in such a defective car and damage to the goods results therefrom.

You will therefore inspect all cars on receipt thereof, for leaks, splinters, nails, interior breakings and foreign substances, which might contaminate your loading.

Bills of Lading

"Uniform" bills of lading as described in Consolidated Freight Classification should be used.

Typewriter should be used when practicable when preparing bills of lading. If written, write plainly. Shipments are waybilled by the carriers from information shown on bills of lading, and, at large stations, the bill clerk when in doubt cannot compare the writing on the bill of lading with the marks on the packages.

Do not use worn or poor carbon paper.

See that all copies are lined up properly.

Be sure shipping instructions agree with markings on packages.

Describe freight fully, accurately, and by names shown in tariffs and classification. Do not use abbreviations.

Illegible bills of lading, failure to describe commodity by name shown in tariffs and classification are causes for freight going astray or becoming lost, and a source of overcharge claims.

Containers

One of the most frequent causes of damage to freight is the inadequacy of packages, or containers, either in construction or material, to stand the handling they must

receive by cartmen and warehousemen and in transit (see "valuable information tables and statistics," "box shook specifications," "specifications for shipping cases" and "schedule for nailing boxes"). Ordering box shook according to standard does not necessarily mean that the mill will literally comply with the order. Frequent inspections of shook received from mill should be made to see that the shook is in accordance with the order, and is of standard thickness, length and width. "Standard containers" cannot be made from the use of irregular shook. If any piece of shook used in constructing a container is too long or too short, too wide or too narrow, the box cannot be properly nailed, with result that the transportation hazard is increased and the box is very liable to be broken on arrival at destination. Nailing machines equipped with equalizing devices which prevent over-driving of nails caused by slight irregularities in thickness of shook should be used.

Assignment No. 2
Payment of Freight Bills

The freight bills of a large canning company during the busy season become quite a problem, particularly when more than one factory is operated.

A good method of handling the freight account is as follows:

Duplicate copies of all freight bills are handed to the plant superintendent by the agent of the carrier. The plant superintendent should be given the power to draw and sign sight drafts on the company for the purpose of paying freight bills to railroads but for no other purpose.

When paying freight the superintendent will list all bills to be paid on a form to be known as a "Freight Invoice Copy" which will show the plant number, the date of payment, the name of the carrier being paid, its number and the number of the draft drawn in payment and then a listing of all bills to be paid, recording the date, the pro number, the commodity and the amount.

A total of the individual amounts listed will be the amount for which the draft will be drawn. The draft will be in usual form, drawn on the main office and in favor of

« PreviousContinue »