When weather conditions exist that may result in trains or rail cars arriving at destination with frozen coal which may prevent the rail car from unloading, CSX Transportation, Inc. recommends that a Freeze Conditioning  Agent be applied to both the lading and the sides of all rail cars shipped from CSXT served coal facilities. Please see the updated list of approved Freeze Conditioning Agents, (PDF)  (Revision I dated September 16, 2011).

When a Freeze Conditioning Agent is applied to a rail shipment, please note the product utilized and the quantity of the product applied on the electronic bill of lading document, in the “special handling” field (H3 segment for EDI billing, Special Handling and Comments section for ShipCSX users), which will provide hard copy verification, that the coal has been treated.

For those customers submitting Bills of Lading via ShipCSX, please follow these steps for entering the information:
Click on “Special Handling and Comments,” under the “Comments” section, place your comments in regards to your Freeze Conditioning. 

Note that the @ sign is required and MUST be used prior to entering any information.

Example:  @Side Release Product Name applied 8 gallons per car
                   @Freeze Treatment Product Name applied 4 pints per ton

For those customers submitting Bills of Lading via EDI, KSS will be issuing a software update that will provide the necessary field to input the information.

When an approved Freeze Conditioning Agent is not utilized, should frozen coal prevent the dumping of rail cars at destination, the consignee / freight payor will be responsible for any charges as follows:

CSXT SYSTEM CARS

If the coal arrives frozen in the car at destination and the train/rail cars cannot be unloaded within the free time allowed under applicable contracts or tariffs, and it is determined from the electronic bill of lading that the coal and car were not properly treated with a freeze conditioning agent, the consignee/freight payor will be charged $60.00 per car per day until each car is released empty to CSX.

NON CSXT SYSTEM CARS

When CSXT locomotives and/or crews are utilized to deliver unit train / trainload shipments of non CSXT system cars, and it is determined from the electronic bill of lading that the coal and cars were not properly treated with a freeze conditioning agent and the train/rail cars are delayed in excess of the free time allowed under applicable contract or tariffs, the following will apply:

• The re-crew charge applicable under Item 5100 of the Tariff 8200 Series will be assessed each time an additional CSX crew is required to unload or attempt to unload a train or pick up empty cars.

• The holding charge applicable under Item 5060 of the Tariff 8200 Series will be assessed on each subsequent unit train / trainload shipment that cannot be delivered to a destination because there are trains or cars at the destination that have frozen coal blocking the delivery of the subsequent trains.

Please remember to utilize an environmentally approved Freeze Conditioning Agent when planning for your “winter season” shipments.  Ethylene glycol products are not to be utilized to treat coal.

If you have any questions, please call the CSXT Coal Development office at 800-852-4923.

Steven J. Crum