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X12 transaction guide · Master data

EDI 433 Railroad Reciprocal Switch File

The X12 document used to provide updates on the reciprocal switch status (open, closed or conditionally open) of railroad customers.

Sent by
Rail carrier
Received by
Other railroads and industry users
Standard
ANSI ASC X12

What is an EDI 433?

The EDI 433 Railroad Reciprocal Switch File is the ANSI X12 transaction set that provides electronic updates on the reciprocal switch status of railroad customers: open, closed or conditionally open.

Reciprocal switching lets a customer served by one railroad receive traffic routed via another railroad, which pays the serving railroad to switch the cars. Knowing which customers are open to reciprocal switching tells railroads and shippers which routings are possible. Statuses can change as agreements between railroads and customers change, so routing systems must be kept up to date.

How the EDI 433 worksDiagram of the EDI 433 Railroad Reciprocal Switch File. Rail carrier sends it to other railroads and industry users. 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), DTM (Date/Time Reference), N1 (Party Identification) and SMS (Station Codes Segment). 2 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 433 worksRailroad Reciprocal Switch File: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 433SENDERRail carrierRECEIVEROther railroads andindustry users997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 008010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code RHGS … GETransaction set 433ST … SEHEADINGBGNBeginning SegmentDTMDate/Time ReferenceN1Party IdentificationSMSStation Codes Segment+ 2 optional loops, starting with:R2BN1Blue 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 433. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
How the EDI 433 worksDiagram of the EDI 433 Railroad Reciprocal Switch File. Rail carrier sends it to other railroads and industry users. 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), DTM (Date/Time Reference), N1 (Party Identification) and SMS (Station Codes Segment). 2 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 433 worksRailroad Reciprocal Switch File: who sends it,where it fits and what the standard marksrequired1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 433SENDERRail carrierRECEIVEROther railroadsand industryusers997 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 RH (GS … GE)Transaction set 433 (ST … SE)HEADINGBGNBeginning SegmentDTMDate/Time ReferenceN1Party IdentificationSMSStation Codes Segment+ 2 optional loops, starting with:R2BN1Blue 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 433. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 433, 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 433 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

  • Publishing customers' reciprocal switch status
  • Updating status when terms change
  • Supporting routing decisions

Where it fits in the document flow

This document 433 Railroad Reciprocal Switch File
Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment

Structure

Mandatory segments in the 433 (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
  • DTM
  • N1
  • R2B
  • SMS
  • CD
  • SE

Practical example

The 433 in practice

A railroad agrees to open a chemical plant on its line to reciprocal switching with a competing railroad. It sends a 433 updating the plant's status to open. Shippers and the other railroad can now route shipments to the plant via the competing line.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for the 433

  • Keep statuses current as agreements change.
  • Describe conditions for conditionally open customers.
  • Align switch status with switching charges.
  • Distribute updates to all users of routing data.

How ECOM helps

Automate the 433 with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

Solution

Logistics Automation

Automate tenders, status updates, freight invoices and warehouse orders with logistics partners.

Solution

EDI Integration

Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.

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

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