Contents

The following questions are covered in this Help page:

When releasing a loaded car, I get the message "Unable to release railcar. Shipping instructions must be submitted to CN prior to releasing this car." - how come?
I can't find a car on my Release Railcars list - what now?
Can I receive an e-mail confirmation of my release?
Sometimes when I return to the Release Railcars page after submitting a release, the car status is unchanged - why is that?
I get the message "There are currently no cars available for release at this location."
Some of my shipments are switched by CN to another carrier at origin. Can I release these cars online?
I received cars that are damaged (in bad order) how do I let CN know?
How do I release a car that is empty but contains auto racks?

When releasing a loaded car, I get the message "Unable to release railcar. Shipping instructions must be submitted to CN prior to releasing this car." - how come?

To release a loaded railcar using Release Railcars, shipping instructions must first have been received by CN. If you attempt to release a loaded railcar without having first supplied the shipping instructions to CN, the system will reject your request with message "Unable to release railcar. Shipping instructions must be submitted to CN prior to releasing this car.". Clicking on the car initials and numbers in the error message will highlight the row where the error occurred.

I can't find a car on my Release Railcars list - what now?

The Release Railcars page contains a list of all cars that are currently on-site at your location.

To find a specific railcar, use the Search Car tool, located in the upper-right hand side of the Release Railcars page. Enter the car initials and numbers and click Search. If found, the car initials and numbers will be highlighted.

To find a specific track, use the track links, located in the upper-middle of the Release Railcars page. Each link allows you to jump to that specific track on the page without having to scroll.

If you are still unable to locate a car that is on-site at your location, please contact your Customer Support Representative.

Can I receive an e-mail confirmation of my release?

To receive an e-mail confirmation of your release, select the 'E-mail a copy of this request' checkbox that appears just below your list of cars.
This checkbox is selected by default, and your last selection will be remembered.

To send an e-mail confirmation of your release to others, click on the 'Update recipients' link that appears just below the 'E-mail a copy of this request' checkbox and enter the e-mail addresses of all others you wish to receive a copy of the e-mail.

Sometimes when I return to the Release Railcars page after submitting a release, the car status is unchanged - why is that?

In the event that information is still being processed, it may take a few minutes before your list of cars accurately reflects your release instructions. Please wait before reloading the Release Railcars list in order to see the updated car status.

I get the message "There are currently no cars available for release at this location."

If the location that you have selected has no cars available to be released, this message will be displayed. If in fact you have cars on-site that you need to release, please contact your Customer Support Representative and mention this problem.

Some of my shipments are switched by CN to another carrier at origin. Can I release these cars online?

Yes, Release Railcars supports release of railcars for switch by CN to another rail carrier at origin.

For empties, select the Empty checkbox next to the car that you want to release. No Special Release Type needs to be selected for release of an empty railcar for switch to another rail carrier at origin.

For loads, select the Load checkbox next to the car that you want to release. Loaded railcars being released for switch to another rail carrier at origin must be released by selecting the appropriate Special Release Type. If you have released railcars for switch to another carrier by CN at origin in the past, your picklist should contain an entry such as 'Switch to <road> at <interchange>'. Depending on the situation, the product and regulatory authority will also be shown. Select the value that accurately reflects the shipment being released to CN.

I received cars that are damaged (in bad order). How do I let CN know?

To release a railcar that has been unloaded but is defective, or to reject an empty railcar that was placed for loading, select the Empty checkbox next to the car that you want to release and select the appropriate defect from the Special Release Type picklist. After selecting the defect, a text area will be displayed where you can, optionally, provide a description of what is wrong with the railcar. Please enter any details that could help CN's Mechanical team diagnose the problem.

How do I release a car that is empty but contains auto racks?

To release a car that is empty but contains auto racks, select the Load checkbox for that car and select "Release Empty With Auto Racks" in the Special Release Type column.