Plan for the Complete Intermodal Route

Intermodal cargo may travel by truck and rail, or by truck, rail, and ocean. Each mode subjects the load to a different combination of forces. For example, a container that appears stable during highway movement may not remain stable after rail coupling. Coupling impacts can create strong longitudinal forces that drive cargo toward the nose or doors. 

For ocean transportation, the discussion applies only to ISO containers. These containers may experience rolling, pitching, lifting, stacking, and other handling conditions throughout the journey. The container structure is designed to carry external stacking loads through its corner posts. However, cargo inside the container still needs to be secured against the movement and handling forces associated with the ocean leg. 

Given the varying forces that intermodal transportation can place on cargo, securement products and placement should reflect the entire route, not just the first leg. 

Inspect the Container Before Loading

Once a travel plan is set, confirm that the chosen container is suitable for the commodity and transportation route. Check the floor, walls, roof, doors, seals, and corner posts for visible damage. The doors should close squarely, and the locking hardware should operate correctly.

The container should also be clean, dry, and compatible with the packaging and securement system chosen for the trip. Adhesive-mounted products require clean and dry application surfaces. Dust, condensation, frost, grease, and residue can interfere with adhesion, leading to product damage en route.

Do not load a container simply because it is available. If its condition could compromise the cargo or securement plan, report the problem and follow the appropriate process for rejecting or preparing the equipment.

Build a Stable Load From the Floor Up

A securement device cannot correct weak packaging or a damaged pallet. Before loading the container, inspect pallets, cartons, drums, crates, and wadding. Replace broken pallets and repair unstable unit loads rather than expecting blocking or strapping to hold it together. Using broken or damaged pallets can quickly lead to damaged cargo, especially in intermodal travel.

Confirm Weight and Distribution Limits

Before the first pallet enters the container, confirm the weight of the cargo, packaging, pallets, dunnage, and securement materials. The packed container must remain within the limits shown on its safety approval plate and any lower limits imposed by the equipment owner, carrier, terminal, route, or applicable law.

Weight should be distributed evenly across the floor to prevent tipping. Avoid concentrating dense cargo in one small area unless the floor loading and support have been evaluated for that configuration.

Heavy items generally belong low in the container, with lighter freight above when stacking is appropriate. Weight should also be balanced from side to side. An uneven load can affect handling and place added stress on the cargo, packaging, and securement system.

Control Every Void

Void space gives cargo room to move and build momentum. A small initial gap can become a larger problem after repeated vibration, braking, coupling impacts, and container handling.

As the container is loaded, watch for voids in these common areas:

• Between adjacent pallets
• Between freight and the sidewalls
• Between separate cargo sections
• At the nose of the container
• Between the final row and the doors
• Above or around irregular freight

Air bags and other void fillers can help control lateral movement between cargo units or between freight and the walls. Larger lengthwise gaps may require structural blocking, bracing, or strapping.

Void fill is usually a component of a securement plan, and it typically should not replace a primary restraint, like a loadbar or strapping system. A soft filler that limits side-to-side movement does not perform the same job as a rigid bulkhead designed to resist a strong longitudinal force.

Block Against Longitudinal Movement

Rail coupling impact makes accounting for forward longitudinal restraint especially important. Wedge systems create a bulkhead across the container using opposing wall-mounted components and a horizontal wood beam. Wedges should be placed as close to the freight as the approved loading method and container wall profile allow. Their purpose is to prevent cargo from beginning to move forward. 

Logistick’s Intermodal Wedge® is an AAR-approved one-way system designed for light to medium weight loads. It can be installed on the peak or in the valley of compatible corrugated walls and is listed for ISO shipping containers. It works with a 4×4, two properly fastened 2×4s, or a single 2×4 where the approved application permits.

The Intermodal Wedge® XL is designed for medium to heavy weight freight in domestic intermodal containers. It combines a Wedge and Intermodal Brace to provide additional strength against longitudinal load shift. It should not automatically be substituted into an ISO ocean container application simply because it carries the Intermodal Wedge name. Confirm the container type and applicable approved loading method first. 

Use Strapping for Irregular or Layered Loads

Rigid blocking works well when the load presents a stable face. Irregular cargo may also need strapping at selected heights or locations. The Intermodal Strap® from Logistick creates anchor points on compatible container walls and can be positioned where the freight needs restraint. It is intended for light- to medium-weight regular or irregular cargo and can also help separate stop-off shipments.

The complete securement system must include compatible banding and buckles selected for the load and route. Using an AAR-approved component does not make every possible configuration AAR-approved. Follow the applicable loading method, installation instructions, and current guidance.

Follow the Current AAR Loading Guidance

For containers entering North American rail interchange, consult the current AAR Circular 43-I and the applicable content in Section 6.0 of the AAR Intermodal Loading Guide. These materials address load securing, blocking, bracing, weight distribution, and void control.

Do not rely on an outdated loading diagram or assume that one approved component makes the entire shipment compliant. The commodity, container type, cargo weight, securement products, placement, and installation method must match the applicable guidance.

Complete a Final Inspection

Before closing the doors, walk through the load from nose to rear. Confirm that the weight remains balanced, pallets are stable, voids are controlled, and every securement component is correctly installed. 

Photograph the finished load, including the cargo pattern, restraint placement, and area near the doors. These records can support training, process reviews, and potential claim investigations if cargo gets damaged.

Prepare the Container for Every Leg

Proper intermodal loading is a sequence, not a final step added after the container is full. Container inspection, weight distribution, packaging, void management, blocking, strapping, and documentation all need to work together.

If you are evaluating a new load configuration, Logistick can review photographs, weights, container details, and route information to help identify a securement system worth testing before the shipment enters service.

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Understanding the Intermodal Strap Product Family

The four products in this product family fall into two groups: anchors and kits.

The Intermodal Strap® and Intermodal Strap® XL are the anchors installed on opposing container walls. Banding runs between these anchors to create a securement barrier behind or around the freight. Because the anchors can be positioned at nearly any height, they can accommodate regular palletized cargo, irregular freight, and loads that need to be separated for multiple stops.

The Intermodal Strap® Kit and Intermodal Strap® Kit XL pair the appropriate anchor with banding that is precut, coiled, and attached to the handle. This eliminates the need to measure and cut each length at the loading dock. The result is a more standardized setup that can reduce handling time and make installation more consistent across shifts and facilities.

When the Standard Intermodal Strap Kit Is Enough

The Intermodal Strap® Kit is designed for light- to medium-weight loads moving in domestic shipping containers. Each anchor comes with 20 feet of 3/4-inch orange polywoven banding precut and attached to the handle, making the system ready for installation without additional measuring or cutting. The banding is secured using BKB6 buckles, which are sold separately.

This system can be a practical choice when the commodity is relatively light, the load is stable and uniform, and the transportation route does not expose it to unusually severe forces. Common applications may include lighter packaged goods, cartons, and other freight that needs a flexible barrier rather than a heavy-duty bracing arrangement.

The standard system is also useful for irregularly shaped freight because the anchors can be positioned where restraint is needed. It can help segregate stop-off shipments, giving loaders a way to divide freight without relying on a fixed anchor point.

It is important to note that total load weight does not tell the entire story. Concentrated weight, tall pallets, open voids, weak packaging, a high center of gravity, and the way individual units interact can all increase securement demands.

When to Choose the Intermodal Strap Kit XL

The Intermodal Strap® Kit XL is the better fit when the shipment moves beyond the conditions the standard kit was designed to handle. It combines the Intermodal Strap XL anchor with 1-1/4-inch banding coiled and tied directly to the handle. There are several factors to consider if you’re thinking about stepping up to this kit.

The Load Is Medium to Heavy

The clearest reason to step up is load weight. The Intermodal Strap XL is made from a high-strength engineered resin and provides 33 percent more strength and impact resistance than the standard Intermodal Strap.

That extra capacity is important when the securement system must control heavier palletized goods or commodities that generate more force during acceleration, braking, coupling, or other changes in motion.

The Commodity Is Difficult to Restrain

Some loads require heavier-duty securement even when their total weight does not immediately appear extreme. Tall freight, dense products, irregular shapes, unstable stacks, and commodities with limited packaging support may place more stress on the restraint system.

A load with large unfilled spaces can also gain momentum before it reaches the securement barrier. Eliminating unnecessary voids remains important, but when the cargo profile still creates higher loading forces, the XL anchor and wider banding provide a more appropriate starting point.

Fragility matters as well. Heavy bottles, manufactured components, paper products, and other damage-sensitive commodities may justify stronger securement because a small amount of movement can lead to breakage, leaning pallets, crushed packaging, or rejected freight.

The Route Includes Rail

Rail transportation subjects freight to a different operating environment than a highway-only trip. Coupling impacts, repeated vibration, and longitudinal forces can test a load configuration more severely than it appeared to be tested at the dock.

For shipments traveling by rail, securement must be evaluated against the applicable intermodal guidance, including AAR Circular 43-I where relevant. The Intermodal Strap Kit XL includes 1-1/4-inch AAR-approved banding and is designed for heavy-duty intermodal and rail shipping environments.

The presence of an AAR-approved component does not make every possible load configuration automatically compliant. The commodity, weight, blocking, voids, anchor placement, banding, buckles, and installation method must work together as a complete system.

Why Choose the Kit Instead of Separate Components

The standalone Intermodal Strap and Intermodal Strap XL are useful when a facility already stocks compatible banding and wants to control how much is cut for each application. The kits make more sense when speed, consistency, and ease of training are priorities.

With the banding already coiled and attached to each handle, employees spend less time gathering components, measuring material, and preparing the restraint. That can simplify work instructions and reduce variation between installers. For a high-volume shipping operation, a few saved steps on each container can add up across an entire shift.

The XL also includes removal tabs, and both styles are compatible with Logistick’s Intermodal Strap Removal Tool. An anchor may be reused when its integrity is uncompromised, and the product itself remains undamaged.

Select the System Around the Actual Load

The standard Intermodal Strap Kit is an efficient solution for many light- to medium-weight loads. The Intermodal Strap Kit XL is the next step when cargo is heavier, the commodity is more difficult to control, or rail movements create more demanding securement conditions.

Choosing between them should be based on the complete shipment, including the commodity, weight distribution, packaging, void space, container type, transportation route, and applicable loading guidance. If you are unsure which system matches your application, request free samples and let Logistick review your load configuration before your next shipment.

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We will explore common mistakes made using intermodal shipping restraints and provide practical solutions to help logistics professionals improve their shipping practices.

Not Knowing Load Weight

Understanding the total weight of the load is crucial for effective intermodal shipping restraint. Misjudging a shipment’s weight can lead to selecting the wrong equipment and overloading it. This mistake can result in broken restraints, accidents, or damage to cargo. Knowing the exact weight helps you choose the right equipment and ensures compliance with regulatory weight limits.

Skipping Equipment Inspections

Regularly inspecting shipping restraints is often overlooked but vital for safety and legal compliance. Failing to inspect equipment can lead to undetected wear and damage, compromising the restraints’ effectiveness. Checking for signs of wear, corrosion, and other damage ensures that all intermodal equipment parts are functioning correctly. Proper inspections help prevent equipment failures during transit.

Failing To Secure Tie-Downs

Properly securing tie-downs to anchor points prevents shifting. When this task is done haphazardly, it can loosen or come undone during transport, leading to damaged goods and potential accidents. Ensure that all tie-downs are correctly fastened and adjusted to accommodate shifts in the load. Regular checks during transit are also necessary to maintain restraint security.

Using Damaged Straps or Chains

Another mistake is using straps or chains that show signs of damage. Worn, frayed, or corroded materials can break under the stress of transport, causing loss or damage to the load. Always replace faulty straps or chains before use. Using well-maintained, high-quality restraints ensures better safety and reliability in transporting goods.

Improper Weight Distribution

Distributing weight improperly can lead to load imbalances and potential tipping. It also creates stress on specific restraints, increasing the risk of equipment failure. To maintain stability, ensure an equal weight spread across the vehicle and restraints. Load planning is essential to avoid shifts and guarantee safe transportation across different modes of transport.

Intermodal shipping relies heavily on the correct application of shipping restraints. By avoiding these common mistakes, logistics professionals can maintain safety and reliability. For improved shipping solutions, explore Logistick’s intermodal systems on our website.

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Introducing the newest products from Logistick. The new AAR White Composite 1.25″ x 770′ Banding. This banding is the latest development in strapping technology. Known as ‘synthetic steel’, this high tenacity polyester yarns embedded in a polymer coating. It provides safe, reliable and strong solutions to secure products of all shapes and sizes for transportation, however heavy, fragile, or expensive they may be.

Combine Logistick’s Strapping with the NEW AAR BKCB10 Buckles and the entire system strength is 5,155 lbs.  The high quality galvanized steel buckle provides the strongest and most consistent joint in the industry with up to 90% joint consistency.

A combination of application expertise and market leading cargo security knowledge allows Logistick experts to demonstrate how best to apply our large range of strapping solutions to your specific cargo securing requirements in the most timely and reliable manner.

Strong

Composite polyester strap, together with a high quality galvanized steel buckle, provides optimal strength in all cargo securing applications and offer excellent performance even under extreme temperatures and circumstances.

Reliable

The combination of Logisitck Straps and buckles provide the most consistent and reliable close method for securing products, providing true peace of mind for sender and receiver.

Safe

Made of non-abrasive material, composite strapping is safe and easy to use. It will not damage products in transit and is safe to apply and remove

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That’s why we are excited to announce!! Our Floor Brace® has now been approved as a recognized loading configuration. The Floor Brace is now listed in the Association of the American Railroads Intermodal Loading Guide!

Association of American Railroads

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is an industry trade group that not only provides the freight rail industry with a strong, united voice that policymakers listen to, they also facilitate the operations, safety, security and standards that make the America’s freight rail network the envy of the world.

Our Floor Brace makes Freight Rail shipping simpler and easier. The Floor Brace® is designed to block and brace freight in trailers and containers with wood floors. It prevents pallets or non-palletized freight from moving on trailer floors. The Floor Brace offers added height coverage than that of a 2×4. Therefore, eliminates the need for treated lumber in international shipments. Using a Palm Nailer, it installs in 30 seconds or less. We offer our customers double headed Floor Brace Nail for quick and easy removal. Above all, the Floor Brace® is a great addition to any of our other systems.

Logistick Floor Brace

Depending upon the load configuration, two to eight Floor Braces are recommended per pallet or non-palletized freight. The Floor Brace is also great for blocking and bracing partial rows.

Place a Floor Brace on each stringer of the pallet and nail in 6 nails for each Floor Brace. For quicker removal try our Floor Brace Nail. Therefore, this double headed nail makes removal easier and simpler. Our Floor Brace is a cost-effective and efficient way to block and brace your freight.

Today, freight railroads connect thousands of American communities to the global economy. They operate the most efficient and cost-effective freight rail system in the world. As a result, customers — and consumers — save billions of dollars each year. Freight railroads help ease highway congestion, save energy, and reduce carbon emissions. Almost two hundred years after the first American freight train rumbled down a track, America’s railroads remain the backbone of the nation’s economy and the engine that moves America.

For more information on the AAR visit www.aar.org

View the publication here.

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We are excited to announce the launch of our newest product, the Intermodal Wedge® XL! This product is a first of its kind in damage prevention products. It is a two part system that includes an interchangeable Wedge and Brace to fit in both the valley or peak of the container wall. This great new design will fit in most intermodal shipping containers to maximum strength and holding power to secure the heaviest of loads.

Shipping light loads? Try the Intermodal Wedge® same great strength, includes only the Wedge.

Logistick has been providing quality products to the transportation industry since 1991. Helping companies and customers like you prevent freight damage claims and securing your future.

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 Intermodal weight is the most common issue for new intermodal users. The Federal Gross Vehicle Weight Limit of 80,000 lbs. for tractor/chassis/container is the same for both intermodal and truckload. The difference lies in the 53’ container-on-flat-car (COFC) domestic intermodal container which is roughly 2,500 lbs. heavier than a standard dry van. This translates into the recommended maximum bill of lading weight at 42,500 lbs. for an intermodal load versus the 45,000 lbs. shippers are accustomed to for a truckload shipment.

Though intermodal is ‘just like truckload’, there are preparations with intermodal shipping that must be made to ensure a safe, damage-free move.

Unlike truckload shipments, intermodal loads experience harmonic vibrations that can move the load vertically, longitudinally, and laterally. The vibration is not intense, but it is consistent.Once the intermodal container is loaded on the train and the train begins to move, the harmonic vibration will begin to move unsecured freight to any open space in the container.

The preventative measure you should take against harmonic vibrations on an intermodal load is proper blocking and bracing. Often times, shippers believe that the resources needed will offset the transportation savings or that blocking and bracing is just “too hard.” However, remember that your main goal is to restrain the movement of freight to open free spaces within the intermodal container.

Logistick, Inc. makes the intermodal transition simple and cost-effective, with our Intermodal Strap®. The Intermodal Strap® is made from a durable recycled plastic keeping our production costs low to offer you, our customer, the best value. It is specifically designed to block and brace a wide variety of regular or irregular shaped freight in corrugated or flat-walled, domestic intermodal shipping containers making blocking and bracing easy.

Simply attach the intermodal straps opposite from each other to the container wall, load the cargo, and attach the banding.Have more than one shipment in a load? The Intermodal Straps are also great for segregating stop-off shipments.

Check out the Intermodal Strap on our products page and see how we can ensure you a safe, damage-free move.

Check out all of our products, we offer a variety of one-way disposable cargo restraint systems to block and brace in the back of trailers or containers to assure a damage free shipment.

Source : InTek Freight and Logistics

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Neither U.S. West Coast port congestion nor the East Coast winter weather could stop intermodal volume growth in 2014 and they won’t be able to this year either, the Intermodal Association of North America says.

Despite the harsh winter that kicked off the year, it reported intermodal freight volume improved 4.8% in 2014 and will likely see similar-sized gains this year, thanks in large part to a boost in consumer spending driven by plunging oil prices and a strengthening U.S. dollar.

Domestic containers lead all gains in 2014, growing 5.7% year-over-year. Big boxes have remained the intermodal workhorse for four years straight, and for seven of the last eight years, according to IANA.

 “Intermodal performed well, despite industry-wide challenges,” said Joni Casey, president and CEO of IANA, the industry trade association that represents the combined interests of the intermodal freight industry. “For the first time in four years, international, domestic container, and trailer market segments all posted year-over-year growth. And volume gains were widespread geographically, with eight out of nine regions recording increases during 2014.”

With the West Coast ports labor disputes in early 2015 they saw their container volumes drop 6% in December. For the calendar year 2014, the ports were barely able to register a 1 percent gain. Early January, Union Pacific Railroad, which controls the largest rail network in the U.S., said it is bracing for West Coast congestion to drag on volume growth for the year.

With the growth in volume being shipped be aware of the increase in rail traffic. More rail trains will be passing through your area due to the increase. Make sure you are aware of your rail traffic safety. Rail traffic safety is an important guideline to follow especially if you are on the road. Here are few rules to follow: 

• Never drive around lowered gates – it’s illegal and deadly.
• Never race a train to the crossing – even if you tie, you lose.
• Do not get trapped on the tracks. Only proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Remember, the train is three feet wider than the tracks on both sides.
• If your vehicle ever stalls on a track while a train is coming, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks in the direction from which the train is coming.
• At a multiple track crossing waiting for a train to pass, watch out for a second train on the other tracks, approaching in either direction.
• Always expect a train! Freight trains do not follow set schedules.
• Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. A freight train moving 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop. That’s 18 football fields!
• Do not be fooled – the train you see is closer and faster moving than you think.
• When you need to cross train tracks, go to a designated crossing, look both ways, and cross the tracks quickly, without stopping.
• Cross tracks only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings.
• Never walk down a train track; it’s illegal and it’s dangerous.
• Remember: Rails and recreation do not mix!

Logistick improves rail traffic safety by providing products that safely secure cargo in containers to prevent freight claim damages or falling freight due to shifting in transit.  Our Intermodal Strap is specifically designed to fit the corrugation of the container walls to secure light to medium weight loads. Used in conjunction with Logistick’s banding and buckles, the Intermodal Strap is ideal for regular or irregular shaped freight. This One-Way system is great for separating stop-off shipments and the operator has no obligation to maintain ownership

The Intermodal Strap is easy to Install, Quick for Removal and Provides Maximum Strength. Check out the Intermodal Strap on our Products page under Strapping Systems. 

Sources: 

http://www.justdrivepa.org/

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