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X12 transaction guide · Transportation

EDI 470 Railroad Clearance

The X12 document used to request, or respond to requests for, clearance of dimensional and heavy shipments by rail.

Sent by
Shipper or railroad
Received by
Railroad or shipper
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 470?

The EDI 470 Railroad Clearance is the ANSI X12 transaction set used to request or respond to clearances for dimensional and heavy shipments by rail.

Oversized loads, such as transformers or wind turbine components, may not fit through tunnels, bridges or alongside other tracks. Railroads must check the dimensions and weight against every point on the route and approve a route, sometimes with restrictions, before the shipment can move. Clearance requests are handled by each railroad's clearance bureau, which checks the load's dimensions and weight against the structures and track along every possible route.

How the EDI 470 worksDiagram of the EDI 470 Railroad Clearance. Shipper or railroad sends it to railroad or shipper. 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: BGN (Beginning Segment), N9 (Extended Reference Information), F9 (Origin Station) and D9 (Destination Station). 2 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 470 worksRailroad Clearance: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 470SENDERShipper or railroadRECEIVERRailroad or shipper997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code RBGS … GETransaction set 470ST … SEHEADINGBGNBeginning SegmentN9Extended Reference InformationF9Origin StationD9Destination Station+ 2 optional loops, starting with:LETN1Blue 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 470. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 470 worksDiagram of the EDI 470 Railroad Clearance. Shipper or railroad sends it to railroad or shipper. 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: BGN (Beginning Segment), N9 (Extended Reference Information), F9 (Origin Station) and D9 (Destination Station). 2 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 470 worksRailroad Clearance: who sends it, where it fitsand what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 470SENDERShipper orrailroadRECEIVERRailroad orshipper997 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 RB (GS … GE)Transaction set 470 (ST … SE)HEADINGBGNBeginning SegmentN9Extended ReferenceInformationF9Origin StationD9Destination Station+ 2 optional loops, starting with:LETN1Blue 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 470. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 470, 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 470 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

  • Requesting clearance for an oversized load
  • Requesting clearance for heavy loads
  • Responding with approved routes and restrictions

Where it fits in the document flow

This document 470 Railroad Clearance
Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 470 (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
  • BGN
  • N9
  • F9
  • D9
  • LET
  • MEA
  • LX
  • N1
  • SE

Practical example

The 470 in practice

A manufacturer needs to ship a large transformer by rail. It sends the railroad a 470 with the load's dimensions, weight and the car to be used. The railroad's clearance bureau checks the route and replies with an approved route and speed restrictions.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 470

  • Provide accurate dimensions and weights.
  • Request clearance well before the planned move.
  • Follow the restrictions in the clearance approval.
  • Coordinate clearances across all carriers on the route.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 470 with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

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Industry

Industrial Manufacturing

Distributor, OEM customer and supplier integration for industrial manufacturers.

Solution

Logistics Automation

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

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