Official Railway Equipment Register

Official Railway Equipment Register
Name	Official Railway Equipment Register
Abbreviation	ORE Register
Type	Directory
Country	United States
Language	English
Firstdate	1868
Publisher	Association of American Railroads
Frequency	Annual

Official Railway Equipment Register

The Official Railway Equipment Register is an authoritative directory used in North American railway operations, linking rolling stock identities with railroad company ownership, equipment characteristics, and interchange permissions across networks such as the Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and CSX Transportation. The Register supports coordination among organizations like the Association of American Railroads, Federal Railroad Administration, Surface Transportation Board, Amtrak, and regional carriers including Norfolk Southern Railway and Canadian National Railway, facilitating consistency in reporting, billing, and dispatching across corridors from the Northeast Corridor to the Belt Railway of Chicago. Compiled as a technical reference for stakeholders including Class I carriers, short lines such as Genesee & Wyoming, leasing companies like GE Transportation Finance, and governmental regulators, it integrates with systems used by Federal Communications Commission-regulated radio operations and National Transportation Safety Board investigations.

Overview

The Register functions as a centralized index that maps reporting marks, car numbers, and equipment attributes to operating entities such as Conrail, Southern Pacific Transportation Company, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City, and to leasing and maintenance providers including Wabtec Corporation and Progress Rail Services Corporation. Its entries encompass freight cars, passenger cars, locomotives, and special equipment used on networks managed by Metra, MARC Train Service, and commuter agencies like Bay Area Rapid Transit. The directory is widely referenced by dispatchers at terminals such as Chicago Union Station, freight forwarders coordinating with ports like the Port of Los Angeles, and compliance officers at agencies including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

History and Development

Origins trace to 19th-century compilations by industry figures linked to companies like Pennsylvania Railroad and Great Northern Railway to standardize interchange among carriers after events such as the expansion following the Transcontinental Railroad. The Register evolved through contributions from organizations including the National Railway Publication Company and later the Association of American Railroads, adapting through technological shifts driven by manufacturers such as Baldwin Locomotive Works and General Electric (GE). Major revisions accompanied regulatory changes introduced by the Railway Labor Act and judicial rulings by the Interstate Commerce Commission, and the document expanded during consolidation events involving CSX Corporation and Canadian Pacific Railway.

Contents and Classification

Entries classify equipment by reporting marks allocated to entities like Trailer Train Company (now TTX Company), number ranges used by Kansas City Southern Railway, car types defined by manufacturers such as American Car and Foundry, and technical parameters relating to axles, tonnage, and couplers specified by standards from American Society of Mechanical Engineers committees. The Register indexes hazardous materials placarding references tied to Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration guidelines and links to tank car designs approved after incidents investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board. Classification schemes cross-reference interchange rules used by Interline Freight carriers and agreements negotiated in forums including the Association of American Railroads committees.

Publication and Maintenance

Historically published by firms like the National Railway Publication Company and maintained with data supplied by railroads such as Union Pacific Railroad and leasing firms including Wells Fargo Rail, the Register is updated annually with errata issued after inspections by agencies including the Federal Railroad Administration and testing by laboratories associated with National Institute of Standards and Technology. Data curation involves contributions from railroad registrars at companies like Norfolk Southern Railway, software integrators offering platforms akin to systems from Siemens Mobility, and standards bodies coordinating with the American Public Transportation Association.

Usage and Industry Impact

The Register underpins revenue division procedures among carriers during interline moves involving CSX Transportation and Canadian National Railway, supports equipment pooling agreements such as those involving TTX Company, and informs asset valuation for lessors and financiers like GE Capital. It is cited in operational planning at yards including Corwith Yard and in legal disputes adjudicated by the Surface Transportation Board and federal courts. Emergency response organizations including Federal Emergency Management Agency reference Register data during derailments and hazardous spills, while shippers such as J.B. Hunt Transport Services and Schneider National use the directory to verify equipment suitability.

Access and Availability

Access is provided to industry subscribers including Class I railroads, short lines, shippers, and consultants, often through licensed digital platforms maintained by publishers and data vendors with integration to enterprise systems from Oracle Corporation and SAP SE. Libraries and transportation research centers associated with universities like University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign and University of Michigan hold historical volumes, and regulatory bodies such as the Federal Railroad Administration may reference copies during proceedings.

Related Standards and Regulations

The Register aligns with standards and regulations promulgated by entities including the Association of American Railroads, Federal Railroad Administration, Surface Transportation Board, and consensus bodies like the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and interfaces with federal statutes such as the Railway Labor Act and statutory instruments that govern interchange and reporting. It complements technical frameworks like AAR interchange rules and industry guidelines developed after notable incidents reviewed by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Category:Rail transport publications Category:Railway safety Category:United States railroad industry