intermodal

[willy6]

i live near CHARLESTON,SC.there is alot of intermodal operations,train yards,ships and trucking.i am modeling an intermodal set up on my layout.i drove around many times looking to get prototype info.however, in my travels,i checked out all the warehouses and loading docks and never saw a container on a trailer being onloaded or off loaded, do ELVES do this while we sleep?

[greyhounds]

Moving freight tends to be a nocturnal job.

KS

[daveklepper]

If there are tracks on the Charleston docks and giant cranes visit the place around midnight. Dave Klepper

[wabash1]

the way the trailers get on and off the railcars is by a big forklift type machien. it clams on to the top of the trailer and sets it onto the railcar. and when a train comes in and they spot the cars the same thing in reverse happens they lift it and set it on the ground where waiting spotter trucks couple to it and take it away to the drop yard where road trucks come and get them.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by willy6

i live near CHARLESTON,SC.there is alot of intermodal operations,train yards,ships and trucking.i am modeling an intermodal set up on my layout.i drove around many times looking to get prototype info.however, in my travels,i checked out all the warehouses and loading docks and never saw a container on a trailer being onloaded or off loaded, do ELVES do this while we sleep?

No you were right, little elves do it. The International Brotherhood of Stevedores, Merchantmen And Logistical Longshoremen (IBSMALL) Union works only under the cover of darkness moving containers on and off the ships and trains.

[Mookie]

Dan, we are going to get thrown off the forums - you for writing it and me for laughing at it!

[DTomajko]

Intermodal shipments are a small percentage of freight that travels over the road. Over-the-road and LTL trucking companies still carry the majority of cargo into the warehouses and local industries. The Pittsburgh Intermodal Terminal handled 75,000 containers & trailers in 2003, with about a third each for trailers, international containers, and domestic containers. Inbound versus outbound shipments are about evenly split. The ramp is open from 7AM to 11PM everyday with the most activity from Mon. to Fri. If the ramp at Charleston involves rail to ship handling, then the operations are tied to the arrival of a ship and activity would be greatly increased then. In comparison, Harrisburg,Pa & Corwith,(Chicago) handled 200,000 and 400,000 lifts respectively.

As far as lifting goes,Wabash1 is correct in only oversimplification of the type and capabilities of intermodal machinery. In Pittsburgh, we use a Caterpillar-built side-loader based on a forklift base. The real piece of equipment on the packer is the spreader at the top of the mast. It has the capability to lift trailers with retractible legs, open from 20' to 40' for top-lifting containers,(with twistlocks that turn & lock into the castings at the corners of containers), and handle the newer JBHunt & "wide-pick" domestic containers. In addition to these lifting abilities, the spreader has the ability to side-shift, rotate horizontly & verticly, as well as the base ability to tilt. The other type of packer is the "straddle" crane. These type of machines are fairly common in the larger ramps and usually have the same capabilties as the side lifters, without being able to roam freely outside of their travel lane easily. The stradle cranes have a speed advantage over the side-lifters and are not as critical as to trailer spotting for hitch loading. Also, a good operator can work equally as fast with either machine. Rail-to-ship loading is outside of my experience, but I can highly recommend the intermodal tape from Kalmbach or the several programs presented occassionally on the History, Discovery, or Learning Channels for more information.

As for modeling an intermodal ramp,Pittsburgh is basically a 3/4 mile long parking lot with two tracks in the middle splitting the lot lengthwise. A gatehouse at the east end of the lot houses a yardmaster and railroad clerks for ingate, outgate, and train programming services. Also at the east end is the main entrance, a compressor for the car trainline, packer parking & repair pad, yard & mechanic offices, and a 2-bay garage for trailer repairs. Trailers, mounted containers, and bare chassis are parked side-by-side the length of the lot with containers needing chassis stacked wherever convenient.Also, please be careful around a ramp, as a lot of large eguipment and vehicles are moving about without expecting a car or person where they shouldn't be. I hope this helped a little. Stay safe and good luck.

[mudchicken]

Having worked around ATSF Hobart (now BNSF, but one of the busiest -2nd??- in the country....I respect Mi-Jack Travel-lift "moon monsters" and piggy packers.....fear the intermodal truckers (they really are CDL qualified?)...have seen too many collisions with bomber chassis and skeleton frame trailers....and don't wan't anywhere near those crazies after dark!

[DTomajko]

I spend most of my time on the ground working on trailers in Pittsburgh and I can attest to needing eyes in the back of my head with most of the truckers. Also, you only need to pass a written and driving test to acquire a CDL, they don't ask if you belong there in the first place! First rule on the ramp is to take home all the parts you brought with you in working order. Good luck and stay safe always.

[Anonymous]

Mi-Jack corp builds a lot of the equipment used for lifting trailers and containers.
Here is their website. It has some good pics.
http://www.mi-jack.com/intermodal/intermodal.html