General Information Bulletin No. 8 Practical Guidelines for Stretch Film Roping of Steel Coils Shipped Eye Vertical in Boxcar and Intermodal Shipments Approved by DAMAGE PREVENTION & FREIGHT CLAIM COMMITTEE Association of American Railroads

Issued April 2003

Published by Railinc Damage Prevention and Loading Services 7001 Weston Parkway, Suite 200 Cary, NC 27513 (Printed in U.S.A.) © 2003

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General Information Bulletin No. 8

Practical Guidelines for Stretch Film Roping of Steel Coils Shipped Eye Vertical in Boxcar and Intermodal Shipments

I.

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………. 3

II. Frequently Asked Questions ……………………………………………………………4 III. Protective Packaging - One Example ……………………………………… ..……….5 IV. Practical Guidelines for Stretch Film Roping …………………………………………..6

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General Information Bulletin No. 8 This publication was produced through the cooperative efforts of: Association of American Railroads American Iron and Steel Institute

SECTION I – INTRODUCTION

Producers of flat-rolled sheet steel approached the Damage Prevention and Freight Claim Section of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) seeking an alternative to metal banding to secure coiled steel products on platforms during rail transportation. The AAR Damage Prevention and Freight Claim Committee agreed to work in conjunction with the Technical Committee on Packaging and Shipping of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) to develop acceptable guidelines for stretch film roping of steel coils shipped with the eye vertical in boxcar and intermodal shipments as an alternative to metal banding. Several AAR sponsored impact tests were conducted by member roads in cooperation with Weirton Steel Corporation and Bethlehem Steel Corporation to determine the performance characteristics of typical stretch film roping methods. The evaluation program concluded with rail environment simulation testing on the Vibration Test Unit at the Transportation Technology Center, Inc., Pueblo, CO. This publication is a result of performance testing and consultation with packaging personnel associated with the AISI Technical Committee on Packaging and Shipping. It offers practical guidelines on the subject covered. The guidelines and/or practices contained in this publication are applicable only when used in conjunction with published AAR approved loading methods for steel coils shipped with eyes vertical. Since they are minimum guidelines, it may be necessary to supplement these methods in some instances. The General Rules relating to personal safety and the safe operation of trains, contained in AAR Circular No’s. 42-J and 43-D or supplements thereto, issued by the Association of American Railroads, must be observed. Individual carrier rules concerning intermodal shipments of concentrated loads, particularly steel coils, may have a profound effect on these guidelines as they relate to skid size and tension per rope. Loading and bracing methods not presently approved may receive consideration for approval and publication under Section II - Evaluation of New Loading and Bracing Methods and Materials for Closed Cars, Trailers or Containers of General Information Bulletin No. 2, “Rules and Procedures for Testing of New Loading and Bracing Methods or Materials”. Submit requests to Director Damage Prevention and Loading Services, Railinc, 7001 Weston Parkway, Suite 200, Cary, NC 27513.

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General Information Bulletin No. 8 SECTION II - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is stretch film? Multilayer polyethylene stretch films used to wrap industrial and commercial products to platforms for shipping and storage. Stretch films are made from linear low-density polyethylene resins that may be used for load containment. Machine films are the preferred method in high volume accounts such as coiled metal production where speed and consistency of wrapping are needed.

Why pre-stretch film? Pre-stretched film offers more yield per roll and normally gets stronger when stretched.

What keeps the wrapped load secure to the pallet? Films have “Memory”, while applying the film it is stretched as it is being applied. This memory pulls on the film creating tension, keeping the load tight to the platform.

Can film tension be adjusted in automatic applications? Yes. Film tension may be adjusted by manually changing the tension settings on automatic wrapping machines. For heavier loads such as metal coils, a “roped” film may be applied for added securement strength.

What is automatic stretch film roping? A packaging process that transforms stretch film into a strand that simulates a rope for extra product containment and then automatically applies those ropes to the package and platform in a predetermined pattern.

Are there various predetermined roping patterns that are acceptable? Yes. Common roping patterns are referred to as 1-3 and 2-2 depending on the number of corners the rope catches per revolution of the wrap.

Are there other components of a successful film roping packaging system? Yes. Individual protective packaging and friction base components are merged with an automatic stretch film roping system and a preferred shipping platform, e.g. wood skids, to provide protection against product surface 1 damage.

1 An example of one protective packaging method can be found in Section III. There are other methods of protective packaging that can be successfully applied in addition to that illustrated.

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General Information Bulletin No. 8 SECTION III - Protective Packaging – One Example

Plastic Case Top Cap/Poly Vapor Barrier & Poly Edge Protector Corrugated Belly Wrap

Stretch Film

Double-wall Corrugated Circle Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor Treated Insert-VCI Corrugated Disk Bonded to a VCI Skirt

Coil

Kraft Liner Board, VCI Treated

Poly Sheet Vapor Barrier

Extra Heavy Poly Vapor Barrier Shoddy Pad

Wood Skid

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General Information Bulletin No. 8 SECTION IV - Practical Guidelines for Stretch Film Roping2

Method One*

Method Two*

Coil Wt.

To ~ 24, 000 lbs.

To ~ 24, 000 lbs.

Skid Size

56" most common

56" most common

Pad (Base)

Shoddy

Foam

Pad Composition

110gm/sq. ft.

3.5 lb. density, 1/2" thick

Film

Polyethylene (cast)

Polyethylene (blown)

Film Gauge

165

150

Film Width

20"

20"

Pre-stretch

240%

150% to 250%

Ropes/Corner

6

3 minimum

Tension/Rope

30 to 40 lbs. per rope depending on skid size

40 lbs. per rope depending on skid size

*A successful combination of elements other than those shown in the sample methods could result in the proper amount of tension per corner. Consult your stretch wrap equipment professional to gauge individual requirements.

2 These practical guidelines have been developed in cooperation with the American Iron and Steel Institute, Technical Committee on Packaging and Shipping. Since they are minimum guidelines, it may be necessary to supplement these methods in some instances. The maximum coil size tested was 24,080 lbs. on a 60” skid.

General Information Bulletin No. 8

Closed Car/Trailer Loading Pamphlets

1 Freight Forwarder (2/80) 3 Bags, Commodities In (10/93) 4 Barrels, Drums or Kegs (11/65), Includes Special Supplement (6/74) 6 Building Brick in Closed Cars (8/83) 8 Plywood in Closed Cars (11/85) 14 Minimum Loading Standards for Freight (12/84) 15 Furniture (7/79) 17 Packaged Food Products (10/88) 20 Lumber in Closed Cars (10/87) 21 Machinery (5/95) 23 Steel Products in Closed Cars (4/95) 25 Flat Paper Stock in Closed Cars & Trailers & Containers for TOFC/COFC Service (5/93) 29 Household Appliance (10/79) 37 High Density Metallic Commodities (11/84) 39 Supplemental Loading Standards for Roll Paper/Pulpboard in Closed Cars (11/96) Also see Best Practices for Loading of Roll Paper in Rail Cars for additional information. 41 Dictionary of Standard Terms (7/82) 42 Glass, Flat (6/94) Intermodal Loading Guide (ILG) for Products in Closed Trailers and Containers (6/01) Intermodal Loading Guide (ILG) for Paper Products in Closed Trailers and Containers (8/01) Best Practices for Loading of Roll Paper in Rail Cars (6/01) Includes Pamphlet No. 39, Supplemental Loading Standards for Roll Paper/Pulpboard in Closed Cars

General Rules Circulars 42-J General Rules Covering Loading of Carload Shipments of Commodities in Closed Cars (1/01) 43-D Rules Governing the Loading, Blocking and Bracing of Freight in Closed Trailers and Containers for TOFC/COFC Service (6/01)

General Information Bulletins (G.I.B.) 1 Handling and Shipping Fresh Fruits and Vegetables by Rail (5/76) 2 Rules and Procedures for Testing of New Loading and Bracing Methods of Materials (1/98) 3 Instructions for Applying Polyethylene Sheets as Weather Protection in Boxcars (11/91) 4 Weather Protection for Open Top Wallboard Shipments (4/93) 5 Overloaded of Unbalanced Hopper Cars are Unsafe (8/93) 6 Measurement Requirements for Remote Ride Quality Monitoring (9/96) 7 Evaluating and Loading Auto Parts Racks in Railcars for Transportation Via the North American Rail System (2/99) 8 Practical Guidelines for Stretch Film Roping of Steel Coils Shipped Eye Vertical in Boxcar and Intermodal Shipments (4/03)