The dBASE format is designed for database management programs such as Borland dBASE, Paradox, MS Access, Lotus Approach, or Visual Basic. The database records consist of one rate per record. For more about the dBASE record structure, see the link above for downloading dBASE files.

Please Note: dBASE files of rates are posted on the BNSF web site at the time the tariff item is issued, rather than at the time the rates go into effect. Only one version of an item's dBASE file is available on our site at any point in time... the most recent revision displacing the previous version.  There is no Pending/Current complement to the dBASE files. Consequently, users of this data must carefully manage the date and timing issues. The dBASE files include an 'effective' [firstday] and 'cancel' [lastday] date field which can aid users in managing the timing element of the data.  

The dBASE files also include a filenumber field [FILENUM], which can be used to link rate files to the tariff text files.  The filenumber is found on each tariff page in the bottom right hand corner. A filenumber reads as follows: J=tariff series letter; 123=traiff revision number; IG44=item revision number preceided by the letters IG for Item Generation.

Note: Technical systems users may wish to do the following: subtract one day from the effective date of newly issued rate records and apply it to the 'cancel' date field of the previous rate records, displacing the 12/31/1999 date.  Then have the application check the 'firstday', 'lastday' window of rates with the system date.

1. Select the rate item you need from the menu.  Use your mouse and click on the item number.

Technical Note:  dBASE files are downloaded in binary (zeros and ones) format using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). These files are not meaningful to your Internet browser.  Most browsers will check the file name extension and when binary file types are received, they will bring up a SAVE AS... dialog box.  Some browsers may not know that a dBASE file (extension '.dbf') is binary,  and will attempt to display the binary data on you screen.  If you encounter this problem, you will need to make a change in the 'MIME' setting of your browser.

How to change the MIME type on Netscape Navigator.

For questions or suggestions (complaints ??) about the use or design of these files, call us at (817) 352-6789.

The  4022 dBASE record structure.

The 'dBASE'* format files which you download can be imported by most spreadsheet and database management packages. Fields included are:

1. [ITEM] Item number
2. [TYPE] Type of rate file... PP = Point-to-point; MS = Mileage Scale; OL = Combination Item, origin leg; DL = Combination Item, destination leg
3. [STCC] Standard Transportation Commodity Code number
4. [ROUTE] BNSF Ag Commodities Route code
5. [NOTES] Reference Notes number used in printed item. Refers to usage conditions in the item
6. [OCITY] Origin station name
7. [OSTATE] Origin station state
8. [DCITY] Destination station name
9. [DSTATE] Destination state name
10. [LCARS] Low end of shipment carload size range
11. [HCARS] High end of shipment carload size range
12. [LMILES] Low end of mileage scale range, if applicable (default=1)
13. [HMILES] High end of mileage scale range, if applicable (default=3000)
14. [RATE] Rate amount in dollars per car
15. [COLUMN] Column number where rate appears on rate book pages
16. [FILENUM] File number of this rate data. First letter equals the rate book issue letter.
    First number is the rate book revision number. Last four characters are the item generation numbers. Example: J024IG03; Rate is a part of the 'J' series of the 4022, and was generated as part of the 24th rate book revision, and the third revision of this item. The File Number is printed at the bottom right hand corner of each rate item page.
17. [FIRSTDAY] First day of which rate may apply. Date is associated with revisions
18. [LASTDAY] Last day of which rate may apply. Date is associated with revisions
19. [OROAD] Origin road initials
20. [OOPSL] Origin Railway Station Number
21. [DROAD] Destination road initials
22. [DOPSL] Destination Railway Station Number
23. [AUTH] Rate authority publication name.

Station Group Files

When a group of railroad freight stations collectively take the same rate, rate publications  will frequently show a 'group name' [GROUP 33999-01A] in the place where an origin or destination station [SEATTLE] would appear. This publishing practice saves space by eliminating the need for listing each point in a station group where the rates are the same.  

Group files are provided as reference data to support the rate files. Group files contain all of the railroad station names that a group name represents in a 4022 rate item. There is only one station group file per item.  However, several station groups may be placed in one station group file. Because not all 4022 rate items have station groups, there may not be a station group file for each rate item.  Group files are posted on the BNSF web site as they are issued, not at the time they become effective. Only one version, the most recently revised,  is present on the BNSF web site at any given point in time. Previous files are displaced by the most recently updated version. The station group file is revised and reposted on the Internet whenever the item is revised,  even if the station groups for the item have remained unchanged.  Station Group files are provided in the dBASE file format only. The structure of the files are shown below.

1. [ITEM] Tariff item number.
2. [GROUP] Station group name i.e.. "GROUP 33999-01A"  
3. [CITY] Station name i.e.. "SEATTLE"
4. [STATE] Station state abbreviation
5. [ROAD] Road abbreviation letters
6. [FILENUM] File number of the rate item data.  A key file for relational data joining.  This number helps insure that the group file belong to the correct rate file.

Sample data is listed below.

  33999  GROUP 33999-01A   SEATTLE   WA  BNSF    I123IG01
  33999  GROUP 33999-01A   TACOMA    WA  BNSF    I123IG01
  33999  GROUP 33999-01A   LONGVIEW  WA  BNSF    I123IG01
  33999  GROUP 33999-02A   PORTLAND  WA  BNSF    I123IG01
  33999  GROUP 33999-02A   VANCOUVER WA  BNSF    I123IG01