Bulkhead Flat Car Ramblings

[FJ and G]

Lately, I’ve become fascinated, enamored actually, of these puppies. I see them a lot on the NS near Manassas, hauling lots of wood as construction in these parts is booming.

If you don’t like grafitti, you’ll love these cars, as taggers don’t usually think it worth putting their marks on these, as the cargo is temporary, unlike the sides of a boxcar, which are there permanently.

Many of these cars are very colorful, with blue, green and other color plastic wrapping. Some have just the wood showing and some have partial wraps.

I’m going to research what else these cars haul b/c I’m working on a project to make this Weaver toy train car into a battery car for my R/C operations. That way, I can make a bunch more of these boxes and swap them out so the battery car doesn’t always appear to be the same. Had to use a saw to remove this, which was glued on.

Does anyone else have and like these cars? I’d also like to hear from anyone who’s made their own load for these.






Here’s a 1/8 inch scale bulkhead car kit for $700 that I thought was quite interesting; not that I need one, mind you!

http://www.precisionsteelcar.com/Bulkhead%20Flat%20Car.htm

http://www.precisionsteelcar.com/Detail2.jpg

http://www.precisionsteelcar.com/GSC10.jpg

[dwiemer]

David,
Mostly, they carry wood around these parts (Georgia Pacific). Anyway, I will keep my eyes open as we see a lot of these cars on the way to the hospital (I cross over a NS yard). They are interesting and when I come of restriction, I will purchase a few myself.
Dennis

[cnw1995]

One of the now-rare freight sidings on UP's line I also commute upon is a lumber yard that takes delivery of two of these large flatcars each week. The ends seem to be different some weeks. Are they the bulkheads? Sometimes if I time it right, I can see them being switched. It is an interesting job - the cars are usually placed at the head-end of a autocarrier train to Janesville - run by 3 or more engines - The train stops on the main line - the cars of uncoupled and entire string is carefully pushed across three lanes of car traffic into the lot. I then get to see it unloaded - sometimes they take one of those center-silled flat - with the large warnings how to unload it.

[FJ and G]

Doug, Dennis, you may be able to answer this question:

Located some photos taken last year, 1st two on ex-RF&P at Alexandria; last 2 taken in Manassas along ex-Southern.

HOWEVER, these have a center spine. I’m a bit confused now. Should my N&W bulkhead have a center spine too?

I’m thinking that wood is only shipped with the center spine and mine is used more for things like pipes.

I may ask this question on the 1:1 forum unless someone knows about this. Thanks.