I am looking to modernize my freight operations with the addition of an intermodal service. Are there any loaded double stack container cars (well, skeleton, other) that do not exceed 4.5" vertical from top of rail to top of container? I am limited by the combination of Fastrack and overhead bridge girders. I searched the old intermodal threads but didn't readily find an answer.
Thanks for your help.
X2000
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I would think the MTH spine cars with the containers (not trailers) fit that height restriction. The other thing you could do is what the real railroads do... run single stacks.
If you think things are relatively to scale, 4.5 inches is 18 feet in the real world. That will not even clear a auto rack. Double stack can get up to around 20' 6", which would be 5 1/8 inches. You should have no trouble with trailers or containers on standard deck height flat cars or spine cars. Or, as it was suggested, well cars with containers only one high.
Run your intermodal in scale just like the real railroads do here in West Virginia.....No double stacks! The CSX runs only single stack on the line from Clifton Forge to Charleston and beyond. I think it's the way I may run mine as it's set in the 1950's but will run modern some days.
Run your intermodal in scale just like the real railroads do here in West Virginia.....No double stacks! The CSX runs only single stack on the line from Clifton Forge to Charleston and beyond. I think it's the way I may run mine as it's set in the 1950's but will run modern some days.
Or you could try the other approach that the eastern railroads are using. That would be to modify tunnels and bridges so that double stacks will fit. I have heard of projects where they are lowering tunnel floors or even turning old tunnels into cuts by taking the tops clean off.
Run your intermodal in scale just like the real railroads do here in West Virginia.....No double stacks! The CSX runs only single stack on the line from Clifton Forge to Charleston and beyond. I think it's the way I may run mine as it's set in the 1950's but will run modern some days.
Or you could try the other approach that the eastern railroads are using. That would be to modify tunnels and bridges so that double stacks will fit. I have heard of projects where they are lowering tunnel floors or even turning old tunnels into cuts by taking the tops clean off.
That has been done on some....but CSX must not think it's worth the outlay of cash on this line. In their defense the line has some long old tunnels (John Henry) and it would bottle up the line while being done.
Very true Dave, they are picking and choosing their battles, because it is very expensive. They are looking for return on investment.
I run some of the post war freight cars, like the cop & hobo car or the crane car, so having less then a six inch clearance with bridges is just asking for trouble. Tried to do an elevated track and found out the hard way that you need a lot of clearance for your trains to run.
What about running electric engines(EP-5, GG-1) or passenger cars(interurbans) with the catenary system up top?
Lee Fritz
AMCDave: I worked for a small railroad where we had to open up 78 tunnels for double stack. MK was the contractor and they had a special train of cars with work platforms on top of all the cars. First they rock bolted the roof up, then they used air hammers to cut container size slots about 9 feet wide and three feet deep In the roof. They usually worked in about a six hour window. It took them about two years to do the entire railroad.
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