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I need some help finding some HO intermodal cars

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
I need some help finding some HO intermodal cars
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 30, 2005 12:44 PM
I am looking for some certain intermodal cars but I have no idea just what they are actually called. The cars I am looking for carry one tractor trailer each, do not have real couplers per say that connect them, and are very.............[?] minimalistic. I used to think of them as skeleton cars, but it seems after some research that that is completely wrong. They are normally a dark drab tan color on real trains, and basically just have short wheel wells to hold the trailer in place, then what I believe to be an I-beam then a horizontal bar to hold the front of the trailer in place. Each car has one two-axle truck at the rear, and some sort of connection device at the front that hooks on to the car in front of it. These cars are everywhere on the full scale rail lines, but I need some help finding some for my HO scale layout. So, can I please have some suggestions?
  • Member since
    February 2001
  • From: Poconos, PA
  • 3,948 posts
Posted by TomDiehl on Friday, December 30, 2005 2:32 PM
It sounds like you're describing a spine car, which are usually run in groups of five "platforms" or sections for one trailer. the railroad truck is between each platform, so a 5 unit car has 6 trucks.

A model picture:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/235-1018
Smile, it makes people wonder what you're up to. Chief of Sanitation; Clowntown
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 30, 2005 5:30 PM
Thank you.
  • Member since
    June 2002
  • From: montgomery,Alabama
  • 183 posts
Posted by Philcal on Saturday, December 31, 2005 12:14 AM
In addition to Walthers, I believe Athearn still makes a spine car. The cars are generally painted brown, and many are currently in service.
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Eastern Nebraska
  • 166 posts
Posted by SP4449 on Saturday, January 21, 2006 11:11 PM
I have what is called a Fuel Foiler spine car that consists of 5 individual cars (units). The car has normal couplers only on the end units and the other units are joined by a ball and socket joint over a truck creating an articulated car 5 sections long. This car is made to haul semi trailers. The car is made by Con Cor and I am willing to part with it. I also have the trailers that go on each unit.

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