My son and I were out train watching the other day, and he was asking why coil cars have side skirting.. trapazoid shaped... while no other cars have it. Any ideas?
That's not "skirting," that's part of the structure of the car.
Rather like a truss, but solid metal.
Just like a depressed center flat, there has to be room under the car at the ends for the trucks.
When I did a search to see what you were talking about, I did find images of coil cars without the "skirting." I would imagine they had a fairly heavy frame instead.
It goes without saying that coils are quite heavy. When I've been in Deshler, it's been easy to tell which coil cars are loaded - their squeal as they go around the transfer (usually the SW transfer) is constant, while lighter cars may sway a bit, changing the sound of the wheels slipping (which is what the squeal is).
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Thanks Larry.. that must be it.. the skirting looks quite robust..
tree68 That's not "skirting," that's part of the structure of the car. Rather like a truss, but solid metal. Just like a depressed center flat, there has to be room under the car at the ends for the trucks. When I did a search to see what you were talking about, I did find images of coil cars without the "skirting." I would imagine they had a fairly heavy frame instead. It goes without saying that coils are quite heavy. When I've been in Deshler, it's been easy to tell which coil cars are loaded - their squeal as they go around the transfer (usually the SW transfer) is constant, while lighter cars may sway a bit, changing the sound of the wheels slipping (which is what the squeal is).
An advantage, needed to increase the available depth in the center structure of the car. (Necessary, when a very large diameter coil is placed in the car), and the coil covers replaced on the car.
Coil Steel is usually loaded, in a coil car, or on a flatbed truck, with its 'eye' on the centerline of the vehicle. The 'wells' in those cars generally preclude loading coils any other way. Coils shipped on their 'side', on pallets, ('eyes' vertical, for transport, require dunnage, and several chains), they generally, are loaded in boxcars.
Coils loaded in a fashion where their 'eyes', are to the sides, are generally, referred to as 'suicide' loading.( Calls for use of coil racks, dunnage and chains, as required.)
samfp1943Coils loaded in a fashion where their 'eyes', are to the sides, are generally, referred to as 'suicide' loading.
I unfortunately saw the aftermath of such a loading some years ago along the "401" near Toronto. A roll had somehow gotten loose and rolled into the cab of a truck following (perhaps a rear-ender collision). I have my doubts that the driver of the second rig survived - there wasn't much left of the cab.
I have no idea of the exact circumstances - we were eastbound in the resulting rubbernecker traffic - the involved vehicles were westbound.
I've hauled coils eye to the side.. the neat thing is they won't come off if they're secured properly. I hate it when people refer to the eye to the side as loaded "suicide".. I had a customer who once told me "load em suicide".. I gave her s**t over it. I prefer eye to the side over eye to the rear..
Yeah, I was taught to have an extra chain pulling to the rear in case something happened.
UlrichI prefer eye to the side over eye to the rear..
I think a great many women would agree with you.
Whoa! Yikes! Yolks! Hope you don't see Ulrich in your rear view mirror.
It's hilarious though.
Glorious 4th to you.
Back to the question at hand: you call 'em "skirting", I call 'em "Fishbelly sides" (assuming we're talking about the same thing). The only builder who makes them that way is the National Steel Car Corporation (plant in Hamilton, Ontario). I've not seen any attempts to duplicate them, but they seem to have taken the industry by storm when they were introduced in the late '90s. As far as I know, these cars all have only one coil cover (many coil cars built in the preceding 30 years were longer and equipped with two).Again, as far as I know, these cars have a single trough, which means they're loaded eye-forward. Smaller-diameter coils mean less loading efficiency, but there are other coil cars available for those.(An aside: eye-forward isn't always safe, either, if the driver decides to cross in front of a train, as happened on the SouthShore [NICTD] in Burns Harbor a few years back...a coil entered the lead car with deadly results.)
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
That makes sense.. the sides are more robust than the word "skirts" would suggest..
This what you are referring to?
https://www.steelcar.com/products/coil
That's it..
Santa Fe had a few with the skirt "bent under" as protection against fork lifts stabbing the cars from the side and ruining triple valves, reservoirs and piping. I imagine they are gone along with the forklift operators doing their positioning by braille with white forks. (oh, the bad old days on the Vernon Team track in LA)
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