Intermodal Car Question

[ramrod]

Watching the parade of intermodal trains through the Rochelle diamonds, I’ve become aware of what seems to be some sort of a special well car. These cars carry a single container what makes them unique is the substantial bulkheads installed at each end of the container. At first thought they were carrying high value freight, but that made no sense. It would be silly to identify high value freight to looters (thieves). Can anyone tell me why they have bulkheads and what they carry?

[corwinda]

If this is the style you're seeing they are among the oldest stack cars in service. I believe the bulkheads proved unnecessary for support/stability of the upper containers and were eliminated on later models to reduce weight and to allow longer containers to be carried on top.