MOW service flat-cars with permanently attached ISO containers?

[chutton01]

Recently for my protolanced shortline PDT (part of a regional shortline holding company like so much these days) I finished repainting my Walthers American crane and converting an Athern BB 52ft gondola into an idler/boom car in the manner of (now scraped) LIRR 107 - this is OK as I have found several prototype images of Conrail cranes using drop-end gondolas for boom cars.
While I was in repainting/detailing mode, I took a Walthers 50ft GSC flatcar (from my buy-what-seems-cool period), painted it in offical PDT colors (i.e., Rustoleum Flat Brown - use light coats and the finish looks pretty smooth at the end), and...well, I don't know.  I didn't want to do a wheel car, its kinda short for rail sections in the early 21st century, and so on (remember, this flat car would be well past it's revenue interchange service life, so MOW it is). 
Just like most real railroads I have some spare 20ft containers, so I'm pondering if a real railroad weld, chain, or otherwise semi-permanently fasten containers to a MOW flatcar for storage. The usual photo archives are turning up empty, and since I am protolancing I don't really subscribe to the "Its your railroad, do want you want" philosophy. Have any railroads done this as a sort of rolling self-storage unit for MOW (since the 1990s)?

[jjdamnit]

Hello All,

There is a bone-yard in Greely, Colorado, that has several intermodal containers being stored on top of Jersey barriers.

I suspect these containers store smaller items including machinery. One of these could possibly act as a tool shed as well.

As has been said before, "There is a prototype for everything."

I would not doubt that an intermodal container has been attached to a flat car for use in M.O.W. operations.

In the May 2019 MR issue; pg. 57-61, there is an article on how to kit-bash intermodal containers into track-side storage units. 

Some of these techniques cold be used to for modeling intermodal containers into M.O.W. units.

One advantage I can see by using intermodal containers in M.O.W. operations, if the flat car is needed for other purposes the container can be removed and stored track-side; similar to modern on site construction offices, or stored back at the yard with the other M.O.W. equipment.   

Hope this helps.

Post Script:
A few blocks from where my parents live in Long Beach, California, there is a complex called "Steel City".
Rather than traditional construction it is made up of intermodal containers that have been arranged into a foodcourt like area.
These have been fitted with plumbing and electrical and house several walk-up restaurants and a beer kiosk from Smog City Brewery.
As has been said, "There is a prototype for everything."
H.T.H.

[mbinsewi]

chutton01

Have any railroads done this as a sort of rolling self-storage unit for MOW (since the 1990s)?

I don't see why you couldn't do it.  I found this one on a quick search of MOW equipment.

It even has a propane tank along to supply gas for heat and cooking.

I would think a 20' container tool shed would fit right in.

Mike.

[cv_acr]

There aren't a lot of "rules" for MOW equipment. Railroads do all sorts of unique conversions to equipment based on their particular needs.

Usually an old boxcar would be used for material storage, but a 50' flatcar with a 20' container on one end would provide convenient open and closed storage for track materials etc. in a single unit if the extra interior space of an entire box car isn't required.

 

Edit: actually, we have a winner:

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=hbry54552&o=hbry

[chutton01]

cv_acr

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=hbry54552&o=hbry

 

That is indeed close to what I was thinking of.  I will need to 'farb' the container/flatcar connection as I can't quite make it out from the image, but anyway it's a prototype and I'll take it. Thanks.

mbinsewi, the image you posted of a "bunk house" fitted on a flatcar, I swear there was an article on building such a work train, maybe in MR (or more likely old-school RMC, or even the second tier mags of the 1990s). Cool looking, but since my regional  serves in a relatively populated area its work crews can go to their home at the end of their workday.