2.1.19 Scale Operations

Prototype Information

National Code of Rules. The American Railway Association adopted the code of rules governing the weighing and re-weighing of carload freight on May 20,1914, and recommended that it be made generally applicable on interstate traffic. These rules were approved by the National Industrial Traffic I&ague and the Interstate Commerce Commission.

In the 1950's there were known to be several regional Weighing and Inspection Bureaus or WIBs that administered these weight agreements. The WWSL is under the tariff structure of the Trans-Continental Freight Bureau region, administering the 11 westernmost states.

Method of Weighing

Estimate. When no scale is available but a weight needs to be considered for billing purposes.

Railroad Scale. Carload freight should be weighed at the point of origin or if no scales are at the point of origin then the weighing should be performed at scales as near thereto as practicable.

Shippers Tested Weight. Under this arrangement the carriers, through their weighing departments, make weighing tests of the shipper's goods, and, after arriving at the weights for the different kinds of goods, an agreement is made which provides for the acceptance of those goods by the carriers at the agreed weights. This facilitates the forwarding of shipments and obviates re-weighing in transit.

Tariff Classification. The weight of a shipment is usually the basis used in computing transportation charges for the vast majority of tariffs publishing rates for the transportation of commodities name rates which must be predicated upon a unit of weight per 100 pounds or per ton of 2,000 or 2,240 pounds.

 

Tare Weight. 

 

When a freight car is built it is weighed before being placed into transportation service and the weight (called tare weight) is stenciled on the sides of the car, together with the date and place at which weighed. The car service rules of the carriers require that a car shall be re-weighed each year for the first two years it is in service, and once every two years thereafter.

Carload freight should be weighed at the point of origin or if no scales are at the point of origin then the weighing should be performed at scales as near thereto as practicable, for actual weighing is the only way in which weight can be ascertained to a certainty. The right of a shipper to demand re-weighing is based on his right to pay no more than the legally applicable freight charges. Re-weighing of freight in carloads will also be performed when the contents of the car have been transferred en route, or where the car has met with an accident, or other reasons which indicate that a part of the shipment is lost in transit.

Tolerance. Tolerance is the difference in weights due to variation in scales or weighing which may be permitted without correction of the billed weight. If the difference between the original net weight and the weight obtained by re-weighing does not exceed the tolerance, the first weight will not be changed.

Where carload freight, the weight of which is not subject to change from its inherent nature, is check-weighed or re-weighed en route or at destination, at the request of shipper or consignee, no correction will be made in the billed weight, except as provided below:

The consignor or consignee is permitted to show the actual weight of any carload shipment either by means of shipper's authenticated invoice or by weighing the entire load on platform scales, or by weighing a proper portion of uniform or standard weight articles (not less than ten [10] per cent. of the lading), weighing to be performed under supervision of the carrier. The total weight must include all blocking, packing and debris resulting from the lading. This actual weight will be used to determine freight charges (subject to weight agreements applicable), provided the difference in weight exceeds the tolerance.

Weights of commodities subject from their inherent nature to shrinkage in weight, properly obtained at or near point of origin, should not be changed, except as provided for in the tariffs of the carriers. If obvious error is discovered, each case should be dealt with upon its individual merits and report made to the carrier with all the facts.

 The tolerance shall be one per cent (1%) of the lading with minimum of five hundred (500) pounds on, all carload freight, except that when Ashes, Coal, Coke, Cinders, Clay, Dolomite, Ganister, Gravel, Mill Scale, Ore, Sand, Slag, all Stone (not out), Brick, Soft Drain Tile, and Borings, Filings or Turnings (Metal), are loaded in open cars that tolerance shall be one and one-half per cent (1 1/2%) of the lading with minimum of five hundred (500) pounds. (See Note as to Coal.)

The tolerance on coal, adopted in 1914, and continued for many years, was 1%, but not less than 500 lbs. 

Scale Operations

a.      When track-scale weights are used for computing freight charges, weighing must be done by or under the supervision of the carrier or its representatives, or under properly supervised weight agreements.

Cars weighed at rest must be uncoupled and free at both ends. Cars may be coupled at one end and free at the other end, only at points where the scale rails are level and approach rails level for a distance of 50 feet, and when the scales are kept in first-class condition.

Cars may be weighed in motion only when uncoupled and free at both ends and alone, upon scales properly designed for weighing in motion and in charge of a competent weighmaster.
 

Cars loaded with long material extending from one car to another may be weighed coupled at rest. They may also be weighed coupled in motion on scales of sufficient length to properly weigh together the cars so coupled.

 

Weighmaster responsibilities. 

 

 Ensure that the scale deck be clear of debris, snow and ice.

 

Ensure that the trig lock should be locked before spotting carso prevent the weigh beam bouncing as the heavy car moves onto the scale rails.

 

Control the crew that spots the cars.

Calculate the car weight and fill in the Weight Card as appropriate.

The WWSL

The WWSL will have a 40' scale located adjacent to the O.K. Coal Mine at Coal Grove.

The scale track will have two sets of rails; the “live” ones are used to weigh cars, the “dead” ones are used to make run thru moves. When not being used to weigh cars, the scale track could be used for the temporary holding of cars during switching, so the non-scale traffic uses the “dead” rails. A set of switch points at either end of the scale does the switching between the “live” rails and the “dead rails”. All movements over either set of rails must be at no more than five MPH, and locomotives are prohibited from traversing the “live’ rails to avoid damaging the weighing mechanism. 

 

The train crew, upon switching the industry, will see the blank Weight Card in the Car Card for those cars that have to be weighed. During switching, the crew will weigh those cars before departure from Coal Grove. Cars weighed at rest must be uncoupled and free at both ends. 

There may be a situation card that indicates that a car is overloaded. The switching crew will have to set out the car for unloading and then re-weighing.