How much lower does an intermodal container ride in a well car vs a standard flat car?
Two 9-foot-6-inch containers are supposed to total 20 ft 2 inches above top of rail, aren't they? So the bottom of the container is 14 inches above the rail?
Based on casual observation, that's a fair guess.
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Are the 9' 6" intermodal containers more commonly used than 8' 6"?
The loading deck for a flatcar is about 44" so that's about a 30" difference.
Watch the Deshler railcam for a while - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm0r1JqpDT8.
With the intermodal yard just a few miles away, they see a wide variety of containers and the cars that carry them, and with the diamond at 30 MPH, you can see them pretty well. In fact, some IM trains turn at Deshler, meaning they're doing 10 MPH on the wyes/transfers.
You'll have to go to the PTZ cam to see trains on the wyes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGoD7HLwxFI
Those virtual railfan sites are nice. You can scan 12 hours of traffic in just a few minutes.
As a side note, I went to the wrong Deschler site to look for signals. The second one you posted has clearly visible signals. I couldn't find any on the other Deschler site.
Perry BabinThose virtual railfan sites are nice. You can scan 12 hours of traffic in just a few minutes. As a side note, I went to the wrong Deschler site to look for signals. The second one you posted has clearly visible signals. I couldn't find any on the other Deschler site.
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I'll eventually get it. I spelled it Dreschler in a couple of searches.
Perry BabinAs a side note, I went to the wrong Deschler site to look for signals. The second one you posted has clearly visible signals. I couldn't find any on the other Deschler site.
Not many signals visible on the diamond cam. On a clear night sometimes you can pick out the signals at North Deshler. The PTZ is the one to watch for signals.
B&O Historical Society's magazine 'The Sentinal' had a engineering type drawing of a traditional flat car, that had been modified from a gondola, that was being used to transport some of the B&O Museum exhibits - the floor height was dimensioned at 41 7/16 inches. Car had 33 inch diameter wheels.
I believe, the current group of 3 pack and 5 pack well cars for intermodal use have 28 inch wheels. If this is the case, the 14 inch bottom for containers, would put the bottom of the containers very near the axle center line of the cars.
So doublestack containers must be between axles, not above them?
What are axles, 6 inch diameter at least? Presumably two tall containers add up to 19 ft anyway, so if they're above axles that's total height 20 ft 7 inches, or more?
Isn't Plate H 20 ft 2 inch?
There are a few places that can't handle a doublestack. I believe a tunnel in Baltimore is one.
I believe there is a difference in height between domestic and international cans, which would be a factor as well. Perhaps someone can confirm.
tree68There are a few places that can't handle a doublestack. I believe a tunnel in Baltimore is one. I believe there is a difference in height between domestic and international cans, which would be a factor as well. Perhaps someone can confirm.
Domestic containers have a height of 9'6". International containers are 8'6".
Howard Street Tunnel can handle 19'2" auto racks, but not 20'2" auto racks. Domestic double stacks measure out at 18'2".
There is a project that has been approved for undercutting and notching of Howard Street Tunnel for it to be able to handle 20'2" double stacks, there are some issues further East the have to be taken care of before 20'2" double stacks can be handled for the entirety of the I-95 corridor.
When I was a ATM in Baltimore Terminal in the early 1980's, 17'3" open tri-level could run track speed (25 MPH) through the tunnel; 17'5" open tri-levels were restricted to 10 MPH. As an aside, the tunnel floods much more frequently now than it did in the 1970's. To get to the current clearances, the floor of the tunnel has been lowered. Without doing Civil Engineering measurements - I feature the bottom of the tunnel is very near sea level that is the Baltimore Inner Harbor which is about 8 blocks to the East of the tunnel.
timzSo doublestack containers must be between axles, not above them?
tree68There are a few places that can't handle a doublestack.
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