What is the minimum distance between a car and a side loading dock? And about how much would be the max?
i am sure there is a standard but it is also a function of the type of car being loaded. my dad worked for ITE Circuit Breaker company and they loaded flat cars with industrial switchgear. the track was about two feet from the building and had an overhead crane in order to turn the switchgear 90 degrees. the steel mill I worked at loaded mill scale into gons and you could walk down either side of the cars. Box car distance may be a function of a forklift wheel size. It isn't hard to lay down a plate to cover the gap. there are some instances of loading cars two tracks over b y using a car on the first track as a bridge. so my answer is as close as possible or practical. If somebody questioned the distance on my model railroad i would tell them to get a life.
There are standards for close, don't know of a standard for maximum distance.
Whatever the longest bridge plate you could get, 4-6 ft from dock to car?
Guardian Aluminum Dock Plate | Discount Ramps
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
I've been in plants where the opening was inches. And others where the gap would be a foot or more. The Twinsburg stamping plant for Chrysler loaded racks of parts directly into the car without a dock plate. Then there were places that had hydraulic dock plates because the car floor was too high or too low.
Pete.
If you look at the industtrial development of modern railroad websites they have clearance diagrams for that type of stuff. It is not measured for the car to teh dock, its measured from the center of track to the dock.
For example here is the UP's clearances:
0038.dgn (up.com)
For example on Spur tracks, UP standard is 9 ft from the center of track on platforms on spur tracks.
dehusman There are standards for close, don't know of a standard for maximum distance. Whatever the longest bridge plate you could get, 4-6 ft from dock to car? Guardian Aluminum Dock Plate | Discount Ramps
That is a truck dock plate, they make what is called a "railboard" for building to railcar.
I have enclosed the survey sheet website on what is needed to build a railboard, my wife used to work for this company and purchased the steel or aluminum for these railboards.
https://copperloy.com/wp-content/uploads/RAILBOARDDOCKBAORDSURVEYSHEET_REV_C.pdf
Rick Jesionowski
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dti406 ...they make what is called a "railboard" for building to railcar. I have enclosed the survey sheet website on what is needed to build a railboard, my wife used to work for this company and purchased the steel or aluminum for these railboards.
...they make what is called a "railboard" for building to railcar.
You never know. My brother used to work for someone that made brake components for railroads. Around 2012 or so, they had a really specific order come in and he had to update some drawings that had a "last revision" date of 1947.
So I can make the dock pretty tight to the cars. Perfect for what I want to do in the space available. Thanks for the help.