AAR Technical Services

Closed Car Loading Methods

Though established test procedures the Damage Prevention and Loading Services group develops successful loading methods and evaluates new materials to prevent freight damage and ensure safe movement. The Damage Prevention and Freight Claim Committee reviews and approves all new closed car loading methods and materials prior to publication.

DPLS publications are available for free download.

Circular 42-P: General Rules Governing the Loading of Carload shipments of Commodities in Closed Cars (3/23)

Closed Car Loading Standards
Part	Subject / Title	Publication Date	Formerly	Incorporates
1	Minimum Loading Standards for Freight in General Purpose Boxcars	08/2021	Minimum Loading Standards for Freight in General Purpose Boxcars (01/14)	GIS Nos. 838 and 850
	Pneumatic Dunnage Product Verification List	05/2025
	Rubber Friction Mat Product Verification List
	Nonmetallic Strap Substitution for Doorway Protection	05/2025
	GIS Updates:
	885 Hay Shipping Information	05/2025
2	Best Practices for Loading Roll Paper in Railcars	12/2024	Best Practices for Loading Roll Paper in Railcars (12/19)	G.I.S. 828, 829, 832, 837, 839, 841, 842, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 851, 853, 855, 856, 857, 859, 860, 863, 864, 869, 871, 873, 875, 876, 878, 879, 880, 881, and 882
3	Minimum Loading Standards for Plywood and Similar Building Products in Closed Cars	03/2014	Pamphlet No. 8, Minimum Loading Standards for Sanded and Sheathing Plywood in Closed Cars (11/85)	G.I.S. Nos. 549, 598, 616, 640, 645, 654, 655, 657, 698, 706, 708, and 720
	GIS Updates: 760 Incomplete Layers of Plywood or OSB in Boxcars Secured with Nonmetallic Straps (2/17) 823 Plywood and Similar Panel Products Loading Doorway Areas (10/19) 883 Update to Selection & Preparation of Boxcars (8/24) 884 Plywood and Similar Building Products – Pneumatic Dunnage (Air Bag) Application (2/25)
4	Minimum Loading Standards for Lumber in Closed Cars	06/2014	Pamphlet No. 20, Minimum Loading Standards for Lumber in Closed Cars (10/87)	G.I.S. Nos. 592, 596, 699, and 708
	GIS Updates: 883 Update to Selection & Preparation of Boxcars (8/24)
5	Minimum Loading Standards for Building Brick in Closed Cars	06/2014	Pamphlet No. 6, Minimum Requirements for Loading, Bracing and Blocking Carload Shipments of Building Brick in Closed Cars (8/83)	G.I.S. Nos. 629 and 705
	GIS Updates: 826 Building Brick in Closed Cars – Incomplete Layer Securement –Woodpack Walls (Litco) (11/19) 883 Update to Selection & Preparation of Boxcars (8/24)
6	Minimum Loading Standards for Prepared Food and Similarly Packaged Products in Closed Cars	02/2014	Pamphlet No. 17, Minimum Loading Standards for Packaged Food Products in Closed Cars and TOFC/COFC (10/88)	G.I.S. Nos. 667, 693, and 734
	GIS Updates: 838 Unitizing with Stretch Wrap or Film, Stretch Wrap Roping, Shrink Netting, or Shrink Film (6/20) 868 Lengthwise Filler Material used inPrepared Food and Similarly Packaged Product Shipments (11/21) 883 Update to Selection & Preparation of Boxcars (8/24)
7	Minimum Loading Standards for Intermediate Bulk Containers in Closed Cars	07/2014	New	G.I.S. Nos. 659, 695, 707, 711, 712, 714, 716, 721 and 724
	GIS Updates: 754 Wood Bins Braced by Disposable Inflatable Dunnage Bags and Lengthwise Void Fillers (10/16) 765 Wood Bins Braced by Disposable Inflatable Dunnage Bags and Shock-Gard® Lengthwise Void Fillers (7/17) 781 Wood Bins Braced by Disposable Inflatable Dunnage Bags and BIN-PAK™ or M-PAK® Lengthwise Void Fillers (4/18) 782 Plastic Intermediate Bulk Containers with Disposable Inflatable Dunnage Bags and Lengthwise Void Fillers – Schoeller Allibert (4/18) 791 DRUM-PAK® Dunnage for Open Head Drums in Cushioned Boxcars (7/18) 810 Reinforced Longitudinal Void Fillers for Plastic, Metal or Wood Intermediate Bulk Containers with Tomato Products (4/19) 811 Plastic Intermediate Bulk Containers with Disposable Inflatable Dunnage Bags -- Horen® (6/19) 831 Metal Intermediate Bulk Containers with Disposable Inflatable Dunnage Bags and Lengthwise Void Fillers – Goodpack USA (4/22) 836 Wood Bin Containers for Shipping Liquid or Paste Products in Boxcars (5/20) 877 Wood Bins Stacked Three-High in 50 ft. Cushion Underframe Boxcars – 68 Bins (7/23) 883 Update to Selection & Preparation of Boxcars (8/24)
8	Minimum Loading Standards for Bagged and Baled Commodities in Closed Cars	07/2014	Pamphlet No. 3, Minimum Loading Standards for Bagged and Baled Commodities in Closed Cars (10/93)	G.I.S. Nos. 686, 690, 719, and 725
	GIS Updates: 794 Peat Moss, Bagged or Baled, in Cushioned Boxcars (10/18) 866 Doorway Protection for Baled Paper and Other Baled Products in Boxcars (9/21) 870 Bales of Wood Pulp in Boxcars (1/22) 883 Update to Selection & Preparation of Boxcars (8/24) 885 Hay Shipping Information (5/25)
9	Minimum Loading Standards for Coiled Metal Products in Closed Cars	05/2022	Minimum Loading Standards for Coiled Metal Products in Closed Cars (08/14)	GIS Nos. 786, 795, and 803
10	Minimum Loading Standards for Large Metal Products in Closed Cars	11/2021	Minimum Loading Standards For Primary Metal Products in Closed Car (10/14)	GIS Nos. 759 and 825