90-Day Rail Performance Recovery Program

Bring Rail Service, Cost, and Accountability Back Under Control

A structured operating engagement for rail-served manufacturers and receivers dealing with recurring service failures, demurrage exposure, poor car flow, limited visibility, or unclear ownership of the rail cycle.

Over 90 days, Move By Rail establishes a clear baseline of your rail service and cost performance, identifies the highest-impact operating gaps, implements practical controls, and creates a repeatable process for managing car flow, railroad communication, demurrage exposure, and service accountability.

Identify what is breaking down. Correct what is driving the cost. Regain control in 90 days.

The Core Problem

When the Rail Cycle Becomes Reactive

The most expensive rail problems rarely come from one isolated failure. Missed switches, delayed placements, poor visibility, inconsistent ordering, late releases, unclear responsibilities, weak documentation, and fragmented railroad communication often reinforce one another.

The result is a rail operation that consumes management time, creates avoidable cost, and remains difficult to explain to senior leadership.

The 90-Day Rail Performance Recovery Program is designed to replace that reactive cycle with a defined operating process.

Warning Signs

Signals That the Rail Cycle Is Slipping

Demurrage appears repeatedly.

Rail service is inconsistent or difficult to predict.

Service failures are tracked in emails rather than one shared view.

Car orders do not consistently match production or unloading capacity.

Multiple departments touch rail, but nobody owns the complete cycle.

Railroad communication becomes active only after a serious problem.

Releases, placements, or delayed cars are not consistently documented.

Senior leadership lacks a reliable view of rail performance and exposure.

The same problems return after temporary improvement.

The Engagement

How the 90 Days Work

Phase 1
Days 1–30

Baseline the Operation

We establish how the rail cycle currently works, where it breaks down, and which failures create the most financial or operational exposure.

What We Do
  • Map the ordering-to-release operating cycle.
  • Review available service, placement, release, dwell, and demurrage information.
  • Evaluate car-ordering practices against production and unloading capacity.
  • Identify internal ownership and communication gaps.
  • Review current railroad contacts and escalation practices.
  • Establish agreed definitions for service failures and performance measures.
  • Prioritize the highest-cost and highest-risk problems.
What the Client Receives
  • Current-state rail operating assessment.
  • Ordering-to-release process map.
  • Initial rail performance baseline.
  • Demurrage and cost-exposure summary based on available information.
  • Prioritized list of operating gaps.
  • Initial executive findings review.
Phase 2
Days 31–60

Install Operating Controls

We convert the findings into practical operating responsibilities, review routines, service documentation, and escalation controls.

What We Do
  • Clarify responsibility for ordering, tracking, unloading, releases, and escalation.
  • Establish a consistent rail operating-review cadence.
  • Create or strengthen the railroad communication structure.
  • Begin tracking open service failures and corrective actions.
  • Improve documentation around placements, releases, and service exceptions.
  • Implement practical ordering and release controls.
  • Configure applicable Rail Asset Performance Hub reporting.
What the Client Receives
  • Rail responsibility matrix.
  • Weekly operating-review format.
  • Railroad contact and escalation map.
  • Active service-failure and action log.
  • Operating procedures for critical rail activities.
  • Initial Rail Asset Performance Hub view when included in scope.
Phase 3
Days 61–90

Stabilize, Measure, and Hand Off

We measure the new process against the baseline, refine the controls, and give management a documented path forward.

What We Do
  • Review performance against the starting baseline.
  • Identify recurring causes and unresolved service failures.
  • Adjust the operating controls where needed.
  • Train responsible client personnel on the agreed process.
  • Document outstanding railroad and internal actions.
  • Establish the recommended ongoing management cadence.
  • Present findings and next-step recommendations to leadership.
What the Client Receives
  • Final 90-day performance review.
  • Updated operating procedures.
  • Management scorecard.
  • Open-action register.
  • Executive closeout presentation.
  • Recommendation for internal ownership or continuing Move By Rail support.
Performance

What We Measure

Success begins with a reliable baseline. The exact measures depend on the operation and available data, but the program may establish and track the following.

On-time switch performance.
Missed or incomplete switches.
Cars ordered versus cars placed.
Placement delay.
Placement-to-release time.
Average dwell.
Release timeliness.
Demurrage exposure.
Disputed or unresolved charges.
Open service failures.
Issue-resolution time.
Recurring causes of service failure.
Fleet utilization when included in scope.

Move By Rail does not guarantee a railroad's performance or a specific percentage reduction in cost. We establish the baseline, identify failure points, implement agreed operating controls, document accountability, and lead the corrective work within the defined engagement.

Fit

Who the Program Is Designed For

The program is designed for rail-served manufacturers, receivers, recyclers, transload operators, warehouses, and multi-site industrial companies with recurring rail volume and financially or operationally significant service, demurrage, car-flow, visibility, or accountability problems.

Strong Fit

  • Recurring missed or inconsistent switches.
  • Repeated demurrage or accessorial exposure.
  • Weak visibility into inbound, delayed, or at-risk railcars.
  • Ordering that does not consistently match plant capacity.
  • Multiple departments working from different rail information.
  • Service issues that repeatedly disappear into email.
  • No senior internal owner for the end-to-end rail cycle.
  • Management needs clearer performance reporting.

When It May Not Be the Right Fit

The program may not be the correct starting point for every rail user.

  • A company moving only occasional railcars with limited financial exposure.
  • A company seeking only a one-time invoice dispute.
  • A project limited only to track engineering or construction.
  • A legal dispute requiring legal representation.
  • An organization unwilling to provide available operating information.
  • An organization unable to involve the employees responsible for rail activities.
  • A company seeking guaranteed railroad performance.
Scope

Program Scope and Boundaries

Program scope is confirmed during the Rail Performance Review based on the number of facilities, serving railroads, available data, operating complexity, and required travel.

Typically Included

  • Defined 90-day engagement.
  • Current-state operating assessment.
  • Performance-baseline development.
  • Process and responsibility review.
  • Service-failure documentation.
  • Railroad communication and escalation structure.
  • Operating-control implementation.
  • Scheduled operating reviews.
  • Executive findings and closeout.
  • Applicable Rail Asset Performance Hub reporting.

Not Included Unless Separately Scoped

  • Ongoing management after Day 90.
  • Legal representation or legal opinions.
  • Engineering design or track-construction services.
  • Software development or custom enterprise integrations.
  • Unlimited site visits or travel.
  • Full historical freight-bill audit.
  • Guaranteed recovery of charges.
  • Guaranteed railroad-service outcomes.
  • Work involving additional facilities or carriers beyond the agreed scope.
Client Participation

What We Need From Your Team

The program works best when Move By Rail has access to the people and information required to understand the complete rail cycle.

One designated internal point of contact.

Access to available service, car-flow, placement, release, and demurrage information.

Participation from relevant logistics, plant, shipping, accounting, or operations personnel.

Timely review of findings and proposed controls.

Access to the facility when an onsite review is included.

Management support for agreed operating changes.

Rail Asset Performance Hub

A Shared View of What Is Moving, What Is Exposed, and What Needs Action

For appropriate engagements, the Rail Asset Performance Hub supports the recovery process by organizing service failures, open actions, operating reviews, demurrage exposure, and performance measures in one shared view.

The Hub does not replace the operating work. It makes the operating work visible and accountable.

Frequently Asked

Questions Leaders Ask Before Starting

Does Move By Rail guarantee that railroad service will improve?+

No. Railroad performance is influenced by factors outside any consultant's control. Move By Rail establishes the baseline, documents failures, strengthens communication and escalation, implements internal controls, and leads the corrective work within the agreed scope.

Is this only a demurrage-reduction program?+

No. Demurrage is often one symptom of a larger operating problem involving ordering, placement, unloading, releases, visibility, communication, or accountability.

Do we need sophisticated software or perfect data?+

No. The program begins with the information available. Data limitations are documented, and the operating process is designed around practical information the organization can maintain.

Does the program replace our employees?+

No. Move By Rail works alongside the client's team, clarifies ownership, strengthens the operating process, and helps responsible personnel manage rail more consistently.

What happens after Day 90?+

The client receives a closeout review and recommended path forward. The company may manage the established process internally or continue with an appropriate Move By Rail ongoing-management engagement.

How do we know whether the program is appropriate?+

Start with the Rail Service Scorecard or request a Rail Performance Review. Move By Rail will determine whether the issue is a fit for the 90-Day Program, a focused service, or another practical approach.

Related Reading

When Everyone Touches Rail but Nobody Owns It

A detailed look at how ordering, service, placements, unloading, releases, demurrage review, and escalation become disconnected—and how a defined operating process restores accountability.

Read the Article
The First Step Is a Clear Review

Let's Determine Where Your Rail Operation Is Losing Control

Tell us what is happening with service, demurrage, car flow, visibility, railroad communication, or internal ownership. We will help determine whether the 90-Day Rail Performance Recovery Program is the right starting point.