I just learned about a priority automotive freight that used to go from Detroit to California in the '60s and '70s it was called FORD FAST. As I understand it, it used DT&I, Norfolk & Western, MP, DRG&W, then WP to get to Cali. Does anyone have information about this train? timeline? parts, auto frames, finished cars, or engines carried on the train? What are some other priority automotive freights that could be fun to model?
Nothin to see here. Move along.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Union Pacific used to run a special train of Ford auto parts from Detroit to a Ford Escort assembly plant in Mexico. It was handled by DT&I and other roads until reaching Texas, where it was turned over to the UP for the journey to Tucson, Arizona then south to the border crossing at Nogales, where it was turned over to the Mexican railroad for the trip south to Hermosillo. The train consisted of double-stack containers and steel coil cars.
I don't know if it still runs, because I learned of it from a DVD about the Southern Pacific Sunset Route before the UP takeover.
UP and NS run the auto flyer de Mexico. A parts train that goes to and from Mexico with terminals in Det. Dayton and Buffalo. I'm not sure of schedule, or equipment. The web sites list good ol' 60 and 86 foot box cars, but I think most auto parts now ride in 53-foot containers.
BATMANWhy don't you scratch build some of these Chevy Vega rail cars.
Since the Original Poster is asking about a Ford plant, why would you offer this suggestion?
Further, the Vert-A-Pac cars were offered recently in HO by ExactRail, so they are available without scratchbuilding, since they turn up on resale sites.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
NILEDoes anyone have information about this train? timeline? parts, auto frames, finished cars, or engines carried on the train?
The Ford Fast was parts .. the automobiles were built in Milpitas (near San Jose). I am separated from my reference materials right now, but I recall that the Ford Fast alternated with an SP train every six months. The plant closed in the early 1980s.
A google search for "Western Pacific Ford Fast" yields some useful links.
There were multiple 'Fort Fast' trains. The Milwaukee Road operated one to the St Paul assembly plant(Ranger pick up trucks). There was also one operated between KC and St Paul) Usually these trains used lots of 60' auto parts box cars.
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
For a while in the early 1970s the Rock Island operated the Ford Fast between KC and Denver. Pictures of it show both auto parts box cars and auto racks of finished vehicles.
The RI in the 1970s also had a GM auto parts/finished vehicle train that went to Fremont CA via GTW-RI-UP-SP. Trains had an article on it about 10 years +/-, called (IRRC) "The Big Train." Not because of it's size, but because of it's importance. Classic Trains had an article not too long ago by an engineer running the train.
In addition to the GM traffic, the train (57 on the RI) also handled other priority traffic going to the UP, tonnage permitting.
http://www.rits.org/www/histories/freight_schedule72/p120.jpg
Jeff
jeffhergertFor a while in the early 1970s the Rock Island operated the Ford Fast between KC and Denver. Pictures of it show both auto parts box cars and auto racks of finished vehicles
Perhaps the finished autos were an "added block" along part of the route that did not come all the way to Milpitas (which is my area of interest), but I don't have the reference to check.
The contract alternated between roads. Sometimes the Salt Lake-Bay Area segment used WP, other times SP. From Kansas City to Salt Lake, it used D&RGW at times, others UP. When running on the D&RGW, MP handled the train from Kansas City and it was handed off at Pueblo. The UP vs MP/D&RGW and SP/WP routings were rotated on a 90-day timeframe, but they didn't necessarily change at the same time. Between the points of origin and KC routing was via DT&I and N&W. Empties may or may not have run back as a unit train. WP had a symbol APRG or APUP (Auto Parts Rio Grande or Auto Parts Union Pacific) for returning at least some empties to Salt Lake.
Rob Spangler
cuyama BATMAN Why don't you scratch build some of these Chevy Vega rail cars. Since the Original Poster is asking about a Ford plant, why would you offer this suggestion? Further, the Vert-A-Pac cars were offered recently in HO by ExactRail, so they are available without scratchbuilding, since they turn up on resale sites.
BATMAN Why don't you scratch build some of these Chevy Vega rail cars.
I'm no FF expert, either, but do know that finished autos in racks were part of the FF mix on the Rio Grande. Pretty sure some of it was for Salt Lake City, so those cars wouldn't show up in Cali.
Not all the time or every train, more likely when they had hot orders that didn't make the usual westbound autorack blocks on other trains. At least on the Rio Grande, the motive power was plentiful, so easy to fill out the train as needed with finished cars for Western markets.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Thanks to everyone for the information. I am just getting into operations, I have a lot of '60 and '89 auto boxes so this would be a good train to model. Or maybe I would make my own version of it for my layout. I model GTW and BN, did they have any priority automotive freights?
More misinformation and it has nothing to do with Ford Auto parts. The federal livestock law actually was 28 hours and then cattle were unloaded for feed, water, and a minimum of 5 hours rest. There was once a provision by which the shipper could extend this for a short time but I am not sure of what that figure was.
Charlie
Regarding cars used on the Ford Fast, this train also split in two with the DT&I and Wabash going to Kansas City and using either the MP or RI to the Pueblo-Denver area and the UP-D&RGW-WP-SP to Milpitas. The other train described to Minneapolis-St. Paul was also routed DT&I, AA, GB&W, BN and utilized the car ferry over Lake Michigan.
Also cars for the Fords were different than used for GM & Chrysler. Ford used the 60' Double Plug Door Cars almost exclusively that were made by Greenville, PS, Thrall and ACF and the 86' 4 Door Cars made by PC&F, PS, Greenville and Thrall. Frames that originated on the DT&I were hauled in 52'6" Gons stacked vertically. Additional parts also were routed to the Ford Fasts from Buffalo, Cleveland, Lima and other locations by the PRR, NYC, L&N and others.
Also, the PC had some very strange looking flat cars with a structure on top that fed the frames out for use.
An article by Mark Vaughn who worked for the N&W regarding the 60' Auto Parts cars and the routing and use thereof was published in Mainline Modeler Magazine back in the 80's.
Rick J
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