A system for managing the transportation of crude oil by rail includes a user terminal having a display screen and a processing system coupled to the user terminal through a communications link. The processing system is operable to generate a user interface on the display screen of the user terminal receiving input information from a user, including information indicating a loading facility for loading a selected set of railcars and an unloading facility for unloading the selected set of railcars. The processing system is further operable to forecast an arrival time for the set of cars at the loading facility and an arrival time for the set of cars at the unloading facility and display the forecasted arrival times at the loading and unloading facilities on the display screen of the user terminal.