Request for shipped VINs to test railcar tracking - Page 5 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

HuJass · 04-16-2009, 11:36 AM

Looks like most of them are in IL and IN.

Guys,
I want you to know one thing, there is a BIG switching yard in Alton, IL (just outside of St. Louis). It looks like all rail traffic comes thru this yard. This yard is so big, they have their own rail company, Alton & Southern. All they do is move railcars around.
Your railcar may spend a few days in Alton while it gets switched to another train on another line.

Think of it like this:
one train comes from Oshawa; it is nothing but Camaros. Well, these cars, in all different rail cars, have to get all over the country.
So they go to a switching yard like Alton where the train cars are disconnected from each other, split up, and then a new train has to be put together to go to each specific distribution center. They won't move the train until it has enough railcars attached.

My Colorado sat in Alton for like a week, it's railcar waiting to be hooked up to a train going to the Lordtown, OH ramp.

Just keep that in mind.

HuJass · 04-16-2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KK2010SS

Well, I made some more progress. I have found about 159 VIN’s so far. Remember probably only about half of the cars will ship by rail because of their destination. I confirmed that the shipments drop out of the system once they and given to the US railroads. It appears that the US railroads have tighter security policies and do not make the VIN number as visible as the Canadian railroads. I will continue to try to catch as many as possible when they are shipped out.

Remember if you can find out your railcar number I can trace it no matter where in the country it is.

I will try to provide daily spreadsheet updates to UCF.

KK,
If you can get the railcar numbers from the VINs, the railcar numbers shouldn't change once the cars are loaded.
So the railcar number should be good for tracing right up to the distribution center.
The problem I see is if you need to trace your railcar number with the actual rail company that's carrying it. And if that's true, and you can't see what U.S. rail company the railcars are getting switched to, then that can be a problem.

I'm gonna go to UP's tracking site with the number you've posted so far to see what happens.

heinzd01 · 04-16-2009, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UCF w00t

http://camaro.spasticsquirrel.com/Rail_Shipped_VINs.xls

That's the current spreadsheet. I'm going to look into integrating this somehow with the VIN database this evening.

It looks like a lot of these are not in the VIN database. Is the full VIN going to be available in this rail spreadsheet?

HuJass · 04-16-2009, 12:25 PM

OK, I just went here:

http://www.uprr.com/ssi/apps/redirects/pet.shtml

and ran some of the railcar numbers you have listed in your spread sheet.
These were the results:

It seems, for the most part, that if the railcar number begins with ETTX, you can track it on UP.
However this may be just a coincidence. It could be that all these railcars I picked just happen to be on the UP system.
One railcar going to Selkirk, NY didn't show up. That railcar would be on CSX's system. And there was another railcar with a prefix of CO or CN (can't remember) that didn't show up either.

I also noticed that most of these railcars are going to California or the Texas areas. These areas are covered, for the most part, by UP.

I really didn't see anything for the east. That's not to say that none have shipped for the east. They're just not showing up on KK's trace.

Bell040 · 04-16-2009, 12:50 PM

Getting the rail carrier and railcar number from the DBC, the dealer, or customer service is proving to be quite a hassle.

All three of these sources act like I have no idea what I am talking about. The DBC gets the closest, telling me that the car IS at a railyard. But they just don't know which one or the rail car #.

HuJass · 04-16-2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bell040

Getting the rail carrier and railcar number from the DBC, the dealer, or customer service is proving to be quite a hassle.

All three of these sources act like I have no idea what I am talking about. The DBC gets the closest, telling me that the car IS at a railyard. But they just don't know which one or the rail car #.

You know why? It's because it's all been farmed out overseas. They can't even understand English; how are they supposed to deal with technical stuff & jargon & abbrieviations.

Like Zeppelin used to sing "Communication Breakdown, drive you insane!!!"

It's really changed since 2004. Too bad.

MarkSS · 04-16-2009, 01:41 PM

Is there any info on this VIN 2G1FT1EW6A9100348? The DBC says it shipped yesterday.

Thanks in advance for your help.

KK2010SS · 04-16-2009, 02:09 PM

HuJass,

Yeah, getting the railcar number is the key. I have to trace the VIN and get the railcar number before the car gets handed over to the US railroads. If I have the railcar number I can trace it anywhere in the country no matter which railroad it’s on. With my program it doesn’t matter which railroad it’s on, it will give me the current location and status. I just wish I had a way to trace by VIN on the US railroads.

Heinzd01

I am actually just doing a lookup by the last 8 digits of the VIN so I am just looking for all of them from A9100001 to the most recent serial number. This is why I am finding VIN’s not in the database. Unfortunately it doesn’t provide the full VIN number back for me.

To everyone else, sorry I am having limited luck on finding your VIN’s, especially the low numbers. (lowest I have found is 1083) The good news is if I am unable to find your VIN, it means it’s probably over half way to its final destination already!

ZZcamaro · 04-16-2009, 02:15 PM

Can we get any info on this one? 2G1FT1EW5A9102477

HuJass · 04-16-2009, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkSS

Is there any info on this VIN 2G1FT1EW6A9100348? The DBC says it shipped yesterday.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Did the DBC tell you how it shipped?
And if it shipped by rail, did you get a railcar number?

You pretty much have to ask them every little question. They don't seem to volunteer anything. It's like pulling teeth.
And now that it's been off-shored, it's even more difficult.

HuJass · 04-16-2009, 02:46 PM

KK,
I see what you're saying. You need to grab the railcar number from the VIN BEFORE the car switches over to a U.S. rail carrier. Cuz if you don't, you don't have a way to look it up once it switches over.
Gotcha.

MarkSS · 04-16-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HuJass

Did the DBC tell you how it shipped?
And if it shipped by rail, did you get a railcar number?

You pretty much have to ask them every little question. They don't seem to volunteer anything. It's like pulling teeth.
And now that it's been off-shored, it's even more difficult.

It shipped by rail but no, I don't have the railcar #. It is my brother's car and he talked to them before I read this thread.

My car isn't scheduled for build until the week of 5/4.

jpgoins · 04-16-2009, 04:37 PM

Hey brother, first of all, you are a Godsend! You will get sooooo many Christmas cards this year. You've been a very good boy.....
Can you check this VIN? 2G1FK1EJ5A9101479
Built 3/30, 2SS/RS Black/Black. It's my dad's car, but I think I am more exited about it than he is!
Thank you so much!

D1BADZ · 04-16-2009, 05:30 PM

:( still in blue island Il

Come on come get a move in trainy trains

04-16-2009, 02:09 PM	#64
KK2010SS Budafinger Drives: 2019 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Spring Branch, TX Posts: 192 View My Garage	HuJass, Yeah, getting the railcar number is the key. I have to trace the VIN and get the railcar number before the car gets handed over to the US railroads. If I have the railcar number I can trace it anywhere in the country no matter which railroad it’s on. With my program it doesn’t matter which railroad it’s on, it will give me the current location and status. I just wish I had a way to trace by VIN on the US railroads. Heinzd01 I am actually just doing a lookup by the last 8 digits of the VIN so I am just looking for all of them from A9100001 to the most recent serial number. This is why I am finding VIN’s not in the database. Unfortunately it doesn’t provide the full VIN number back for me. To everyone else, sorry I am having limited luck on finding your VIN’s, especially the low numbers. (lowest I have found is 1083) The good news is if I am unable to find your VIN, it means it’s probably over half way to its final destination already! __________________ 2019 ZL1 Riverside Blue Metallic VIN #041

04-16-2009, 05:30 PM	#70
D1BADZ hmmmmm Drives: 2010 IOM in-n-out 2SS Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Jose, Ca Posts: 1,325 View My Garage	:( still in blue island Il Come on come get a move in trainy trains __________________ "Responsibility is a Heavy Responsibilty" (Cheech)

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04-16-2009, 11:36 AM	#57
HuJass Drives: GM Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: CNY Posts: 1,599 View My Garage	Looks like most of them are in IL and IN. Guys, I want you to know one thing, there is a BIG switching yard in Alton, IL (just outside of St. Louis). It looks like all rail traffic comes thru this yard. This yard is so big, they have their own rail company, Alton & Southern. All they do is move railcars around. Your railcar may spend a few days in Alton while it gets switched to another train on another line. Think of it like this: one train comes from Oshawa; it is nothing but Camaros. Well, these cars, in all different rail cars, have to get all over the country. So they go to a switching yard like Alton where the train cars are disconnected from each other, split up, and then a new train has to be put together to go to each specific distribution center. They won't move the train until it has enough railcars attached. My Colorado sat in Alton for like a week, it's railcar waiting to be hooked up to a train going to the Lordtown, OH ramp. Just keep that in mind.

04-16-2009, 12:25 PM	#60
HuJass Drives: GM Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: CNY Posts: 1,599 View My Garage	OK, I just went here: http://www.uprr.com/ssi/apps/redirects/pet.shtml and ran some of the railcar numbers you have listed in your spread sheet. These were the results: It seems, for the most part, that if the railcar number begins with ETTX, you can track it on UP. However this may be just a coincidence. It could be that all these railcars I picked just happen to be on the UP system. One railcar going to Selkirk, NY didn't show up. That railcar would be on CSX's system. And there was another railcar with a prefix of CO or CN (can't remember) that didn't show up either. I also noticed that most of these railcars are going to California or the Texas areas. These areas are covered, for the most part, by UP. I really didn't see anything for the east. That's not to say that none have shipped for the east. They're just not showing up on KK's trace.

04-16-2009, 12:50 PM	#61
Bell040 Drives: 2SS/RS - Black - GFX Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: B'ham, Alabama Posts: 2,458 View My Garage	Getting the rail carrier and railcar number from the DBC, the dealer, or customer service is proving to be quite a hassle. All three of these sources act like I have no idea what I am talking about. The DBC gets the closest, telling me that the car IS at a railyard. But they just don't know which one or the rail car #.

04-16-2009, 01:41 PM	#63
MarkSS Drives: 2014 Z/28 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 412	Is there any info on this VIN 2G1FT1EW6A9100348? The DBC says it shipped yesterday. Thanks in advance for your help.

04-16-2009, 02:15 PM	#65
ZZcamaro Drives: 2SS w/ ZZ427 Package!! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,700	Can we get any info on this one? 2G1FT1EW5A9102477

04-16-2009, 02:46 PM	#67
HuJass Drives: GM Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: CNY Posts: 1,599 View My Garage	KK, I see what you're saying. You need to grab the railcar number from the VIN BEFORE the car switches over to a U.S. rail carrier. Cuz if you don't, you don't have a way to look it up once it switches over. Gotcha.

04-16-2009, 04:37 PM	#69
jpgoins Drives: 2008 Malibu LTZ 3.6/6A Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 26	Hey brother, first of all, you are a Godsend! You will get sooooo many Christmas cards this year. You've been a very good boy..... Can you check this VIN? 2G1FK1EJ5A9101479 Built 3/30, 2SS/RS Black/Black. It's my dad's car, but I think I am more exited about it than he is! Thank you so much!