4 Runner Intermodal Cars

[choochin3]

What ever happened to the 4 wheeled Front Runner,or 4 Runners cars?
I haven't seen any in a few years.
Were they too light,or just worn out and retired?
Just Wondering.

Carl T.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by choochin3

What ever happened to the 4 wheeled Front Runner,or 4 Runners cars?
I haven't seen any in a few years.
Were they too light,or just worn out and retired?
Just Wondering.

Carl T.

Search "TTOX".

Basically, there was nothing really "wrong" with them per se. They were designed for trailers only (no containers) up to 45' in length and 65,000 lbs max, so their rated platform length and load weight became obsolete compared to the 53' articulated spine cars, which could handle longer and heavier trailers as well as containers. Others have claimed that the rigid axle design made them unstable over rough track, and the light weight of 25,000 lbs combined with the drawbar connections on the Four-Runners may have made them more likely to cause problems while in the middle of a consist. Althought not equipped with radial steering, they were afforded a limited degree of curve flexibility. Most if not all have been scrapped, although I've been told by one of the TTX guys that there are still some in storage since their lease hasn't yet run out.

Since TTX has begun a process of converting 48' spine cars to 53' spine cars, it was possible TTX could have converted the TTOX to 53' length while retaining the 36' wheelbase, maybe stretch that to 40' or so with radial steering. Replacing the 28" wheels with 33", 36", or even 38" wheels, along with larger journals and beefier springs could have allowed them to handle heavier trailers, adding radial steering arms would have aided the cars in negotiating through rough trackage, and replacing the non-retractable hitch with a retractable hitch, then adding container holding arms, could have allowed the TTOX to haul more than just trucks, but that may have been less than worth it. The only advantage of the TTOX/Four-Runner over the articulated spine cars was a lesser light weight per platform (25,000 lbs per platform vs 30,000 lbs per platform), but other than that they were running with non-standard equipment with the single axle bogies. And if they had been modified to carry longer heavier trailers, some of that weight advantage would have been lost. And according to some the non-retractable hitch was one of their best features.

It should be noted that the single axle design aids in increasing load factor over the standard three piece two axle trucks. Go to the RailWhales website and check the history of the Southern 100, a four unit hopper with single axles which allowed it a greater load factor and lower center of gravity. Single axle designs work when incorporated into multi-unit freight car concepts.

[kenneo]

Front Runners were safety disasters. Because of stability problems, they could not be ahead of a helper, had a maximim trailing tonnage ceiling, could not be coupled to anything longer than a 53 foot platform -- the restriction list went on - I don't remember them all. At the end of their use in my area, we finally had to switch them with air - and use the train brakes - to keep the buff forces under control in order to keep them on the rails.

The theory was great, and if you could keep a train of them short enough, they worked admirably. Problem was, those short trains were too short to make money and soa they had to be operated in normal service - where they were an operating disaster. RIP