husky Stacks, and other container cars

[Anonymous]

The model railroad I'm modeling is set in the 90's and I want to run some trains will Container cars, but I'm confused with all of the different kinds. What type of container car would be most approperiate and/or the most common for a north east model railroad set between 1990 and 1999 (specifically Conrail in New York prior to the merger)? If there are more than one type commonly run during that time frame, could you point me to some reference material so I can do some research on the subject?

Thanks,
Sheldon

[edblysard]

Hi Sheldon,
Just about any type of container car will work. TTX, Husky stacks, pretty much any group. Keep in mind the railroads use a car pool and are part of the TTX or old trailer train group, so the equipment woul be a mix "n" match. Also keep in mind, most of the newer cars are permanently coupled sets, with drawbars between the center cars, not couplers. So you can have a 3 car set form Trinity, coupled to a 5 car TTX well car, followed by a single car. Futher, each set of cars is counted a one car, so you can have a 5 car set, permanently coupled to each other, all 5 counted as a single car, which makes having you trains real length in feet important. As for resources, TRAINS mag did a story on TOFC, and the related switch to containers , just a few months ago. Model Railroader did a nice story on well cars last year, both have a index on this site. And if that dosnt give you the info you seek, try Railway Age, its a trade mag, and they have a web site also.
Hope this helps,
Ed

[DTomajko]

Sheldon, Everything Ed said is true,however,one thing to keep in mind is that certain types of cars are used in certain periods. For example;a TTRX 3-pack multi-purpose spine car wouldn't be around before approx.1995. Also keep in mind that a car must be load "legal". For example: an 89' flatcar must have at least one trailer or container,(international 96" wide only),loaded facing the "B" end.A 3-pack spine-car or TTEX flatcar must have the end hitches/platforms occupied.The general rule of thumb is that there are no more than one unoccupied well or hitch between loads.Also,the bottom wells are to be all occupied before stacking the upper levels of stack cars and then the unoccuppied space rule applies to the top layer.Confused yet? You also need to remember that as you approach 1999,you have more 53' equipment,a lot of domestic,(EMP & NACS 48&53'),and international containers which are rarely intermixed except to the intermediate terminals.Also,the closer you get to 1999,there are more 53" well cars,spine-cars,well cars with hitches,and fewer flatcars.In an originateing terminal,(LA,Chicago,Harrisburg,New Jersey,etc...),you have a shifter assigned and can load the cars to suit the train.At an intermediate terminal,(Pittsburgh,Cleveland,Toledo,etc...)there is no shifter,so you fit the loads per the cars left from the last set-off.In Pittsburgh,there is a daily morning & evening train from Chicago,a Mon to Sat westbound UPS pickup,a daily Chicago pickup,and an as needed eastbound Dockside,Morrisville,and/or Croxton pickup.Also,there is an up to 7day westbound setoff from Dockside and/or Harrisburg.I hope I didn't completely confuse you by now,but this just shows that nothing is as simple as it looks.In case you were wondering,I work at the Pittsburgh Intermodal Terminal for the subcontractor that handles all the terminal services for CR,now NS here.By the way,we did 75000 lifts last year and a yard like Harrisburg did 200000,a Chicago terminal,(one of many),might do 400000 lifts! I hope I was a little bit of help. DT Pa.

[edblysard]

Wow, thats a lot of lifts....and we both forgot to tell you that on older containers, the 20' and 40', as weird as it sounds, you can put a 40' on top of two 20', but not the other way around, because the containers have a heavy frame and support post on the ends, but none in the middle, two 20' on top of a 40' would bend the bigger container in the middle, while the 20's on the bottom would have two sets of support post in the center of the upper 40'.
Gets a little confusing, forgot also to tell you to check out the index of magazines at the top of this page. Kalmbach has done several stories on containers in both model railroader and trains... Good luck,
Ed

[Anonymous]

Hi ED.
Can you tell me if a 40' can go on top of a 48', and a 48' go on a 53' container?

also do you know if all roads are useing 53' sets, more so that 48' sets?
As i model BN And BNSF intermodler trains this is a point I need to get right.
Thanks for all your help.
Matt...TYPAN

[edblysard]

Hi Matt, it depends on the container. Some have the bracing in place for the larger container to go on top, some don't. As for size, depends on the cargo. Check around, you didnt say where you live, but if you are near a major hub, you can bet there is a intermodel yard close. As for which one BNSF uses most, it isnt their call. You see all sizes mixed in, diffrent cars, wells, so forth in one train. It all depends on what came off the ship. Look for a BNSF fan club site on the net, I bet you could find a bunch of photos. Also, a good place for pictures is trains mag, lots of intermodel there,
Have fun,
Ed

[edblysard]

Hi again, Sheldon.
I think I found all the answers to your questions. Go buy the feb issue of trains mag. Trun to page 35. Read. Look at the photos, page 39 shows a large container on top of a smaller one. Note where the supports are located on the large container, located just where it will ride on top of the smaller one. A couple of great hotoe of tofc, trailer on flat car. Buy the way, what are you using for power? Athern make a really good c-9, it just needs a good tune up, works like a charm.
Ed

[DTomajko]

Matt;all containers 40' and bigger have stacking posts located at the forty foot position. Generally,(but not always),the loaded container always goes on bottom.Surprisingly,not all containers travel loaded both ways and the empty ones go on top in a stack.Also,though it's not a requirement,the loaded boxes are usually put in the end and center positions of a multi-well car,then the other places are filled.A lot of the load planning in a terminal depends on where the final destination is and how many units need to be shipped.In Pittsburgh,the priorities are to load cars for UP or BNSF first,then for individual destinations on each if the quantities require;i.e.:San Bernadino,LA,Modesto,Long Beach,etc.Also,a few odds & ends:J.B.Hunt older 53' boxes have no holes in the top,so are never on the bottom of a stack.The newest(2002+)Hunt boxes are Duraplate models and can be on the bottom now.Hunt 48' boxes are being phased out in favor of the 53 footers and former extendable 48 to 53 chassis are being welded at 53'.Also,while mixing of international,(20',40',&45') and domestic,(48',53',& Hunt)containers is common on cars destined to intermedate terminals,domestic containers wouldn't usually go to the ship loading piers,(i.e;Long Beach,Portland,OR;Dockside,NJ;Norfolk,VA,etc.).So,in conclusion,20'are never on top and in pairs in a well car,40'and 45'are prefered on the bottom,(it's easier to lock and unlock the bullets,or IBC's),unless empty,and 53' are usually on top of all the smaller containers because 53 foot cars are less plentiful right now than shorter well cars.Also,well-cars aren't the only container handling cars,i.e;all-purpose 48'& 53' spine-cars,NTTX container-only spine-cars,VTTX container-only flatcars,pedestal equipped flatcars,(domestics only!),and numerous other railroad and private spine & flatcars.I realize this is probably way too much information to absorb,but intermodal is not as simple as it looks.I haven't even touched upon Railroad trailers,LTL & truckload carriers,UPS,or chassis pools for all the different container sizes or owners.You might want to find a copy of "Piggyback and Containers" by David J. DeBoer or "Intermodal Terminals" book or tape by Kalmbach.I hope I was helpful.DT,Pa.