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X12 transaction guide · Master data

EDI 431 Railroad Station Master File

The X12 document used by the rail industry to maintain and distribute information about railroad stations.

Sent by
Rail carrier or the industry reference file administrator
Received by
Industry reference file administrator or subscribers
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 431?

The EDI 431 Railroad Station Master File is the ANSI X12 transaction set the Association of American Railroads and rail carriers use to apply and disseminate information about railroad stations. Rail carriers report additions, deletions and changes to station data, and the updates are distributed to users.

Station codes identify origins and destinations on waybills, rates and car orders throughout the rail industry. A shared master file keeps every railroad and shipper using the same codes. Station data includes names, locations and codes.

How the EDI 431 worksDiagram of the EDI 431 Railroad Station Master File. Rail carrier or the industry reference file administrator sends it to industry reference file administrator or subscribers. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: SMB (Beginning Segment for Railroad Station Master File), DTM (Date/Time Reference), N4 (Geographic Location) and SMS (Station Codes Segment). 0 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 431 worksRailroad Station Master File: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 431SENDERRail carrier or theindustry reference fileadministratorRECEIVERIndustry reference fileadministrator orsubscribers997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code RMGS … GETransaction set 431ST … SEHEADINGSMBBeginning Segment for Railroad Station Master FileDTMDate/Time ReferenceN4Geographic LocationSMSStation Codes SegmentBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them; when a loop is used, that first segment is required. Optional segmentsoutside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12 008010 listing for the 431. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 431 worksDiagram of the EDI 431 Railroad Station Master File. Rail carrier or the industry reference file administrator sends it to industry reference file administrator or subscribers. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 008010 requires, in the heading: SMB (Beginning Segment for Railroad Station Master File), DTM (Date/Time Reference), N4 (Geographic Location) and SMS (Station Codes Segment). 0 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 431 worksRailroad Station Master File: who sends it,where it fits and what the standard marksrequired1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 431SENDERRail carrier orthe industryreference fileadministratorRECEIVERIndustryreference fileadministrator orsubscribers997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partnersagreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997Functional Acknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDs (ISA… IEA)Functional group, ID code RM (GS … GE)Transaction set 431 (ST … SE)HEADINGSMBBeginning Segment forRailroad Station Master FileDTMDate/Time ReferenceN4Geographic LocationSMSStation Codes SegmentBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listedby the segment that starts them; when a loop isused, that first segment is required. Optionalsegments outside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12008010 listing for the 431. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 431, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 008010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 431 and the segments and loops the standard marks as required, area by area. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them rather than drawn in full. This is the standard's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: each partner's implementation guide usually makes some optional loops mandatory, restricts the codes and may use a different release.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Reporting new or closed rail stations
  • Distributing station master data updates
  • Updating station attributes

Where it fits in the document flow

This document 431 Railroad Station Master File
Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 431 (X12 release 008010)

The segments X12 release 008010 marks as mandatory at their level, in order. Segments inside optional loops are needed only when the loop is used. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, adds the optional segments it requires and restricts the values. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.

  • ST
  • SMB
  • DTM
  • N4
  • SMS
  • SE

Practical example

The 431 in practice

A railroad opens a new transload facility and needs a station code for it. It reports the station's name, location and attributes through a 431. Once approved, the update is distributed to subscribers, and shippers can route shipments to the new station.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 431

  • Load station updates before they are used on waybills.
  • Keep internal location tables synchronized with the master file.
  • Report station closures as well as additions.
  • Follow industry reference file procedures.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 431 with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

Solution

Logistics Automation

Automate tenders, status updates, freight invoices and warehouse orders with logistics partners.

Solution

EDI Integration

Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.

More general questions about EDI are answered in the EDI FAQ.

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