MOVING RAILCARS INTO SERVICE

Tools and resources for moving railcars into service, whether you’re using our equipment or yours.  

Getting Started

When you ship merchandise and industrial commodities with Norfolk Southern, you have the option to use one of the railcars in our fleet or use your own private equipment. Either way, your marketing representative will help you select, order, and prepare the right equipment for your shipping needs. 

 

To contact your marketing representative, go to the Shipping by Industry page and select your industry.

Shipping by Industry

Find the Right Norfolk Southern Railcar

Explore our railcar guide for overviews and specifications of the available railcars in our fleet. 

Railcar Guide
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Order Norfolk Southern Equipment

You can order Norfolk Southern equipment through the Empty Car Request System in AccessNS. Use this application to let us know what you’re shipping, what kind of equipment you need, and your desired time for loading. Our specialists will then work with you to provide the right equipment when you need it. You can order equipment for loading the following week, or up to several weeks in advance. 

 

Log In To AccessNS

Move Private Railcars into Service

You have the option to lease or purchase your own railcars, known as private equipment, and make them available to Norfolk Southern for movement. Private railcars must be granted loading authority for movement on our rail network before transporting their first load.  

 

Before entering into an agreement to secure a railcar, contact your marketing representative to discuss available options. Visit the Shipping by Industry page and select your industry to find your marketing representative.   

RULES & REGULATIONS FOR PRIVATE EQUIPMENT

Private equipment is generally defined as equipment acquired and controlled by a shipper. Shippers may choose to acquire and use private equipment based on commodity type or customer requirements (ex: requirements related to car specifications).

Here are things to know if you use private equipment you control for your shipments:

Private equipment options can be discussed with your Marketing representative. Visit the Shipping by Industry page and select your industry to find your marketing representative

When using private equipment, keep in mind that:

  • Norfolk Southern has the right to deny the OT-57 application for safety, mechanical factors, or inadequate customer storage space
  • Private equipment is subject to Norfolk Southern storage charges
  • Norfolk Southern may, at any time, require customers to store the private cars they control, or move them offline at the customer's expense
  • All repair and maintenance will be handled in accordance with AAR rules

Termination of load authority on Norfolk Southern may occur at any time based on:

  • AAR Interchange Rules
  • Expiration date of any applicable lease(s)
  • Age-out of equipment
  • Inadequate provisions made for storage when equipment is not needed
  • Mechanical or safety issues