Union Pacific automated railcar tracking

[LaFong]

My car was just unloaded here in Denver. I thought I’d share my experience using the UP automated tracking service. You can find the UP tracking phone number and instructions elsewhere in this forum. Things to note:

1. UP no longer lists the location of the train, just the status itself.
2. After the railcar was loaded, it hung around in KC for several days. (Get the hell out of there!)
3. You will need to get your railcar # from Ford Chat or your dealer. You cannot get that until your Mexico train has been unloaded and the car has been loaded onto a UP railcar (which could be days to a few weeks).
4. UP offers a fax of the status which I found quite handy. I have a Fax-to-email service for my VoIP number.
5. It seems to vacillate a bit between Train Departure and Set Out, which I did not expect.

I have omitted duplicate lines. It's likely I missed several status changes since I limited myself to 3 calls/day.

<Railroad car #> Loaded
SetOut 12/11 11:57 PM
EstArrivalTime: 12/17 09:00 AM
Origin: Muncie, KS

SetOut 12/13 01:35 AM
EstArrivalTime: 12/18 09:00 AM.

(Big Nebraska snowstorm extended delivery out for a day, temporarily)​

Train Departure 12/13 10:14 PM
EstArrivalTime: 12/17 09:00 AM

Train Departure 12/14 08:36 AM

SetOut 12/14 01:52 PM.

(Dealer confirmed train in North Platte, NE)​

PickedUp 12/15 11:55 AM

Train Departure 12/16 12:16 AM

SetOut 12/16 08:08 AM

<Railroad car #> Empty
ReleaseFromIndustry 12/16 02:37 PM
EstInterchange Time: Chicago Ashland Ave, IL 12/21 02:30 PM
Origin: Rolla, CO

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[Mrn]

When I contacted BNSF, they would not give me railcar locations without having an account with them. That was likely for security reasons. My best information during the shipping process came by asking Ford Customer Service to let me speak with a manager. That got me a callback a few days later with better information.