Hi all...I'm really interested in running modern intermodal on my layout, which is circa 1999-2000. I would love to run 69' dual purpose Husky Stacks, but they seem too long for my curves, the shortest of which, on my upper level, is 24" radius. The 53' well cars look like they're 70-75' plus, just cause the well itself is 53'. I already have some Front Runners, which are short enough but they're just curiosity cars I guess since by 2000 they started to be rare, plus they only carry trailers, not containers. What is the shortest HO model of some quality of a well car that I can get that were used in some numbers say year 2000- are there such things as any Well Car in the low 60' scale feet length range? Orf are they all monster sized.
Thank you, Shawnee
I have a suggestion, since most people don't model that close to prototype anyway,and the non-modeling community dont care. Why not kit bash some of those long cars into ones that haul 40' containers. The car would prbably come out about 50' or so and look much better on your 24" curves, which aren;t all that bad. It would be easy to make those into those triple unit rigs I see all the time too. Just somethin a little more practical for the small shipper. BILL
It depends on you definition of "modern"...
In the fifties and sixties the White Pass and Yukon used 25 and 20 foot containers on steel frame cars.
They also used the same steel frame cars to carry intermodal ore containters - basically large ore buckets that could be transferred from highway trucks to rail cars.
-George
"And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers ride their father's magic carpet made of steel..."
The first 5-pack double stack cars hauled 40' containers only. The newest ones are going back to this, as most overseas shipping uses 40' boxes, and it saves space on the dock to have the cars shorter.
Most all well cars are pretty big. Some roads had cut down 50' boxcars they used to haul trailers.
Athearn and Walthers used to make single unit cars that held a 48' box in the lower well. These might work, if you can find them. Athearn cars were smooth sided Gundersons, and Walthers had the ribbed side Thralls.
The all purpose spine car might work. Can load trailers or containers, single stack. Usually comes in a 5-platform car, but each platform is pretty short. Could run it with just the 2 ends, leaving out the 3 middle parts. http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/932-40701
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
I would use Spline cars then. There about 60' long verses the well deck or huskys. Actually husky are about 65' long if I remember correctly from my days at the rail center in Portland Or.
4x8 are fun too!!! RussellRail