Rail Scale Rates (494) is a transaction set used to communicate rail freight pricing information and rate structures. Typically sent by railroads or rate-setting authorities to shippers, freight forwarders, or other stakeholders, this transaction set conveys detailed rate schedules in response to rate inquiries or as periodic rate publications. The mandatory REN (Rate Request Information) segment establishes the context for the rates being transmitted, the DK (Docket Header) segment identifies the regulatory or internal docket containing the rate information, and the SA (Status Action) segment indicates actions taken regarding the rates. Optional PR (Product/Commodity) segments allow specification of goods subject to the rates, while optional GY (Geography) segments define the origin and destination locations where rates apply.

For example, Union Pacific Railroad might send a 494 transaction to a large chemical shipper, ABC Logistics Inc., updating rail rates for transporting bulk commodities. The transmission would include rate details organized by geographic corridors—such as Chicago to Los Angeles or Houston to Kansas City—with multiple RD (Rate Data) entries within the SCL (Rate Basis/Scales) loop detailing pricing tiers based on shipment volume, seasonal factors, or minimum weights. The R9 (Route Code) and R2B (Junctions and Proportions) loops would specify the rail routes involved and how costs are distributed across rail divisions, enabling ABC Logistics to accurately calculate shipping costs for different origin-destination pairs and shipment sizes.