Steelroads Industry Tools
Steelroads is a rail industry site that provides some of the same tools offered via individual roads' Web sites. It is especially useful when performing tasks that span multiple railroads.
How to use Steelroads:
To become a Steelroads user, complete the registration for a User ID. After receiving a User ID and password, approval for each application must individually be requested to the sponsoring railroad. For a Union Pacific employee you must indicate on the registration form you are an employee of Union Pacific. This request then is sent to an Analyst in the NCSC eCommerce team for approval. When an employee User ID accesses a Steelroads application, there is a monthly usage fee Union Pacific pays Railinc.
Track and Trace
Track and Trace accesses a central database that receives input from over 330 North American railroads. The information that is reported in trace responses is the same information that is reported by these railroads through a Train10 event.
Track and Trace has two applications:
- a 'Demand' Trace, which will provide the last move on a piece of equipment, and
- a 'Parameter' Trace that is similar to a General Inquiry.
Demand trace is useful in researching lost railcars, nobills and missed interchange reportings. Parameter trace is generally only useful to external customers, as your User ID is tied to a specific company name.
Shipping instructions
External Union Pacific customers can use Shipping instructions, also known as the Bill of Lading, to provide the information required to move a shipment, as well as notify the railroad the rail equipment is ready to begin movement. Normally, each individual rail car or trailer shipped has its own set of shipping instructions. Customers can submit a bill of lading to Union Pacific from www.steelroads.com.