ARTICLE VII – INTERCHANGE

Section 1. At points where yard crews are employed, road freight crews may be required to receive their over‑the‑road trains from a connecting carrier or deliver their over‑the‑road trains to a connecting carrier provided such trains are solid trains which move from one carrier to another intact with or without motive power and/or caboose.

Section 2. If road crews referred to in Section 1 of this Article VII are not required to return or deliver their motive power and/or their cabooses to or from their on or off duty points an alternate means of transportation will be provided.

Section 3. At designated interchange points, if a carrier does not now have the right to specify additional interchange tracks it may specify such additional track or tracks as the carrier deems necessary providing such additional track or tracks are in close proximity. Bulletins specifying additional tracks will be furnished the General Chairman or General Chairman involved prior to the effective date.

Section 4. If the number of cars being delivered to or received from interchange tracks of a connecting carrier exceeds the capacity of the first track used, it will not be necessary that any one interchange track be filled to capacity before use is made of an additional track or tracks provided, however, the minimum number of tracks necessary to hold the interchange will be used.

Section 5. Crews used in interchange service way be required to handle interchange to and from a foreign carrier without being required to run "light" in either direction.

Work equities between carriers previously established by agreement, decision or practice will be maintained with the understanding that such equity arrangements will not prevent carriers from requiring crews to handle cars in both directions when making interchange movements. Where carriers not now using yard and transfer crews to transfer cars in both directions desire to do so, they may commence such service and notify the General Committees of the railroad involved thereof to provide an opportunity to the General Committees to resolve any work equities between the employees of the carriers involved. Resolution of work equities shall not interfere with the operations of the carriers or create additional expense to the carriers. It is agreed, however, that the carriers will cooperate in providing the committees involved with data and other information that will assist in resolution of work equities.

Section 6. The foregoing provisions are not intended to impose restrictions with respect to interchange operation where restrictions did not exist prior to the date of this Agreement.

This rule shall become effective 15 days after the date of this Agreement except on such carriers as may elect to preserve existing rules or practices and so notify the authorized employee representatives on or before such effective date.