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Size of Wheels for 86" box car

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 5:04 PM

gmpullman
 
riogrande5761
I've got more than I probably have a right to own - being they are so long and space to run them historically insufficient. 

Surprise I keep a few around just to do clearance checks. If those things will clear, anything will!

Happy Modeling, Ed

I actually use my Walthers auto racks for clearance checks and I have some double stacks I use for height clearance.  The 86' auto parts box cars wouldn't help much with height clearances I'd guess.  Passenger cars or 89' auto racks would do just as well for horizonal clearances.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 4:53 PM

riogrande5761
I've got more than I probalby have a right to own - being they are so long and space to run them historically insufficient.

Surprise I keep a few around just to do clearance checks. If those things will clear, anything will!

Happy Modeling, Ed

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 12:08 PM

jjdamnit

I'd never heard of an 86-foot box car until this post.

For modelers of auto parts trains between 1966 and the 1980's and beyond, 86' foot box cars were common and a must have model. 

Two famous trains were the Ford FAST (Ford Auto Service Train) and the GM ARRO, which ran from the upper midwest to the west coast.  The DT&I, UP, D&RGW, MP, RI, and other participated in the Ford FAST on a 90 day rotation shedule where it alternated between two routes.  Typical consists were a combination of 50', 60' and 86' auto parts box cars and usually one or two 89' flat cars loaded with auto frames.

The  Rio Grande Modeling & Historical Society publication "The Prospector" has an issue with an article dedicated to auto parts trains entitled "Fast Times on the Rio Grande".

FYI, Athearn started offering their blue box 86' 4 door and 8 door box cars back in the 1970's, so the models have been around a long long time.  For the past 20 or 25 years, Walthers has offered 4 and 8 door auto parts box cars.  I'm surprised you've never seen either the Athearn or Walthers 86' box cars before.

I've got more than I probalby have a right to own - being they are so long and space to run them historically insufficient.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by jjdamnit on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 5:27 PM

Hello all,

dti406
You obviously did not read my previous post...

You are correct, I did not read your post.

I answered the OP's question after doing some research on my own.

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

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Posted by dti406 on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 4:47 PM

From Jim Hediger, this is just the cars owned or leased by the DT&I.

DT&I-Owned Cars

 26000-26025 - 25 cars in Cypress Green with yellow lettering and white compass shading 50-ton box, built by Greenville in 1964 - riveted sides - 33" wheels

26100-26210 - 110 cars in Cypress Green with yellow lettering and white compass shading 50-ton box, built by Pullman in 1965 - welded sides - 33" wheels

26300-26446 - 147 cars in Cypress Green with yellow lettering and white compass shading 50-ton box, built by Pullman in 1966 - welded sides - 33" wheels

Cars under long-term lease (in DT&I paint):

26500-26634 - 134 cars in Teal Blue with yellow lettering and black compass shading 75-ton box, built by Greenville in 1968 - welded sides - 36" wheels

26635-26649 - 15 cars in Teal Blue with yellow lettering and black compass shading 75-ton box, built by Greenville in 1968 - welded sides - 36" wheels

26650-26678 - 29 cars in Teal Blue with yellow lettering and black compass shading 75-ton box, built by Greenville in 1970 - welded sides - 36" wheels

26700-26736 - 37 cars in Teal Blue with yellow lettering and black compass shading 75-ton box, built by Greenville in 1969 - welded sides - 36" wheels

26800-26853 - 54 cars in Magenta with yellow lettering and white compass shading 74-ton box, built by Greenville in 1970 - welded sides - Stanray ends - 36" wheels

26886-26899 - 14 cars in Magenta with yellow lettering and white compass shading 72-ton box, built by Penn Central (class X67) in 1970? - welded sides - PC ends - 36" wheels

 

Rick Jesionowski

Rule 1: This is my railroad.

Rule 2: I make the rules.

Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!

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Posted by 7j43k on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 3:34 PM

Some 86' boxes may have come with 100 Ton trucks, but I've got doubts that you'll find any with a 100 ton capy.

For example, on those UP 86' cars you mentioned (the ones with 36" wheels).  The highest capacity for 86' boxes shown in the January 1976 ORER is 150000 pounds.  

Now, that's over 70 tons, but not by lots.  I do believe I've seen 70 Ton trucks under cars with over 140000 pound capy.

And it's not a one-or-the-other with capacities.  Just for my UP sample, there's:

98000

99000

100000

104000

117000

142000

143000

148000

150000

 

Note that there's some 50 ton cars, there.

 

Ed

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Posted by dti406 on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 3:17 PM

jjdamnit

.

 

After doing some quick math I would suggest a 100-ton truck with 36-inch wheels.

 

You obviously did not read my previous post, these cars came with either 70 Ton or 100 Ton Capacities, so you would need to have that information so you could choose the correct wheel size for the car. 33" for 70 Ton and 36" for 100 Ton.

Rick Jesionowski

Rule 1: This is my railroad.

Rule 2: I make the rules.

Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!

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Posted by jjdamnit on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 2:28 PM

Hello all,

I'd never heard of an 86-foot box car until this post.

My first thought was a three-axle truck with 33-inch wheels.

After a quick search I found this PDF.

I also discovered that these were manufactured to primarily transport auto parts. 

After doing some quick math I would suggest a 100-ton truck with 36-inch wheels.

You didn't mention what scale you are modeling in.

Kadee makes a 100-ton truck with 36-inch wheels in HO.

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

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Posted by dti406 on Monday, March 12, 2018 2:01 PM

You would have to find out which cars from prototype data that James Kincaid provided when he did comprehensive studies on all the 86' Hi-Cubes in the Mainline Modeler and RMC magazines.  These articles have the capacities of 70 Ton (33" Wheels) or 100 Ton (36" Wheels). But tread carefuly here many of the model cars are built such that you can't replace the 33" Wheels with 36" Wheels due to coupler height and frame clearance issues.  That happed to me with some 100 ton gons that were made with 33" Wheelsets, I replaced with 36" Wheels sets and the clearances would not work.

Rick Jesionowski

Rule 1: This is my railroad.

Rule 2: I make the rules.

Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!

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Posted by dknelson on Saturday, March 10, 2018 8:56 PM

The answer is that always unhelpful "it depends."  

I assume these are auto parts boxcars and the reason they are so large is that the loads, while large in volume, are, by freight car standards, fairly light (depending on the part in question of course).

So looking at my 1974 Car & Locomotive Cyclopedia, I see a N&W car from Pullman Standard with 33" wheels.  A Union Pacific car built by Greenville Steel has 36" wheels.  The Greenville Car appears to be rated with a higher capacity than the P-S.  But visually the cars are very similar.  

Dave Nelson.

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, March 10, 2018 7:43 PM

crisco1

Hi,

    What size wheels would a 86' box car have?   I have 33"

and 36" intermountain wheels.

 

                                                                                                Thanks,

                                                                                                  Chris

 

 

 

Did the car come with wheels?  I would guess 36", and the wheel size might be stenciled on the ends of the car.  What is the stenciled weight capacity on the side of the car?  If 100T or more, then probably 36".  If less than 100T, probably 33".  There are exceptions. 

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Size of Wheels for 86" box car
Posted by crisco1 on Saturday, March 10, 2018 7:28 PM

Hi,

    What size wheels would a 86' box car have?   I have 33"

and 36" intermountain wheels.

 

                                                                                                Thanks,

                                                                                                  Chris

 

 

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