INTERMODAL CARS AND TRAINS: Just like having friends over to your home and sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and talk trains.

Thanks Swafford. It would be great if everyone that contributed to the old thread

would get together to make this one even better than the old one. With all the

intermodal traffic on the rails and new cars coming from Atlas, I would think that

we have a lot to talk about and learn. Martin H, If you would like to educate us

on the finer points of intermodal operations, I'm interested.

The people on that old thread really went out of their way to make comparison photos, measure things and post results, etc.  There was extremely useful information on that thread and it was deleted after going 35 pages or so over several years.

 

I think it was really unfair and I don't blame people for not wanting to waste their time again.  "Fool me twice, shame on me."

 

 

I don't like that the old thread got deleted but I can't change that.

If you or anyone else can be part of the solution and get this information

back, it would be appreciated. If all you can do is gripe, complain, and tell

me WHY BOTHER, or why it can't be done, I don't see how this helps.

Now that we now your opinion on this subject, I won't ask your help to

get this thread going, but as I said, anyone that has some information that

will help people understand the intermodal world, real or model, please help.

I am in no way saying your opinion doesn't matter, but it doesn't tell me

anything about the intermodal world. I hope that most of the people on the

forum will feel that it is worth their time to help to rebuild this thread.

Whatever.

 

Here's a pic of an unusual 5-car articulated made by Freight Car America.  I saw the demo prototype of this maybe 6 years ago in Barstow as part of a stack train that was going by.  It was blue.  For years, FCA had no takers but it looks like last year DTTX took possession of a few units.

 

 

 

 

I doubt FCA will ever move out of a distance fourth place behind Trinity, Gunderson, and NCS for making well cars.

In fairness, the old Intermodal Primer thread was deleted by accident. I actually think that rather than one long intermodal thread, it might be nice to have an intermodal subforum. At any rate, here's a video of two of my Santa Fe "Q" trains heading into the yard area. I've tried to keep the equipment era-appropriate. The same with the roadnames on the trailers and containers. The first is Q-LABH, a "Quality Service" train that runs from Los Angeles to Birmingham, AL. This train was operated with BN, and that's reflected by the loads. The rolling stock includes 89' pig flats, spline cars and the "Frontrunner" cars, which ran in this era. A husky stack and some autoracks also made their way onto the train. The lead engine is an FP45, among the first Santa Fe units to be painted in the Super Fleet variation of the warbonnet scheme. The Super Fleet idea was intended to raise Santa Fe's profile as an intermodal carrier.

 

The second train is Q-LANY, which ran from LA to New York, interchanged with Conrail. This was one of the hottest Santa Fe intermodals, and consisted primarily of trailers, with a few containers loaded as well. This train has all high-horsepower four-axle power, mostly in superfleet, but with a blue and yellow GP60 in the consist:

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, it was deleted by accident, and I'm truly sorry it got deleted. If I could bring it back I would, but there is no way for me to do that.

 

I also encourage you guys to "rebuild" the Intermodal Primer thread with old and new information about these unique intermodal cars.

Two NS Intermodal Trains......................Race!

 

Regards,

Frank  

Back on September 27th, I took a quick drive to try and locate the former Fort Devens (Mass.) train yard. This area is just south of the Ayer Junction wye and appears quite extensive from Google and old geological survey maps. I believe that it is now owned/managed? by Norfolk Southern. My hope was to find out where all the J.B. Hunt intermodal trucks were going to or coming from that I pass on my commute and see something like the Lionel intermodal crane -- perhaps for future model operations inspiration.  I found the J.B. Hunt trucks but was surprised to see that the intermodal cranes were mobile.  Sorry I didn't get better shots. The area wasn't posted but I wasn't in the mood for pushing my luck that day by walking around a train yard right next to an army base with a camera ... just didn't seem too smart (or "smaht" as the locals say) .

 

Tomlinson Run Railroad

I love watching your trains. You have a wide variety of equipment and I find myself trying to identify each piece. When I see a real intermodal train, I try and do the same.

 I need to build my layout bigger and add more car yards.  I probably need something under the layout too? That way I can get some bigger intermodal trains going. I need to have some destinations for the cars.

 I stalled on the new Atlas release until I get going. I have many still in boxes that won't fit now. My other passion is tank cars and they released new Occi ones. So that took president!

Rich M.,

 

What an impressive and varied collection of trailers and containers!  Can you tell me who manufactured the J.B. Hunt trailers in your Q-LANY consist?  There's a parking lot full of those a few miles from the NS intermodal yard at Devens, MA. I'd love to add one to my layout.

 

Thanks,

 

Kristine

I think you did right.A while ago 611 was at spencer getting ready to head home.I had my rail king j.I was temped to put it on the track and take a few shots.But I did not want to get into any trouble.So I found another spot that was near by.I decided to air on caution.

I guess I now can participate on the intermodal post. The other week I picked up a  Atlas o gunderson 2 pack at my LHS. I was going to wait for the new Atlas ones but some of my staging yards are O63 and O54 so the new ones will not work.  The containers are MTH 40 and 48ft. Now I need to start adding to the collection.  We mostly just collect coal porters and grain hoppers.   Nick

As someone who has become a huge fan of intermodal I was sad to see the old thread go.  I used it many times for reference and it was really impressive the detail and work a lot of you guys put into it. I so badly wish MTH would make an accessory for the intermodal trains.  I know I have said it many times but since the old thread is gone I can strike up the venting once again.  I am also happy that the thread is gone.  I thought I lost my mind searching for it only to come up empty.  I run mostly Railking husky stack cars.  I know it's more realistic in the premiere world. I just don't have the room. I would rather run a few extra cars that look great than a few that are to near perfect.  I hope this thread thrives.  I spent a whole flu riddled weekend once trying to read all the posts. Thanks for bring this back!

This has turned into a "nostalgia for an old thread" thread!

Thank you, Kristine. Those JB Hunt trailers are Atlas 45' trailers I custom decorated with Microscale decals. The 48 foot containers are MTH containers also custom decorated with Microscale decals. (I have on MTH 48' trailer that is also custom decorated). So far as I know, no manufacturer has offered any scale JB Hunt trailers or containers. Some years ago I recall Lionel did a set that included 027 flat cars and semi-scale trailers in JB Hunt.

 

The trailers one sees today are 53 footers. I did one of those with Microscale decals and a Weaver unlettered 53 foot trailer. That was actually easier since JB Hunt dropped the yellow doors from its paint scheme a few years back.

 

RM

Rich,

 

I'm posting this here instead of in a new thread in the hope you will see this suggestion. What do you think about an intermodal subforum? ("A place to talk about all things relating to intermodal rail service," perhaps). The topic obviously is popular and recurring as shown by the old "Primer" thread and the many threads on the various subforums.

 

As much as everyone liked the old "Primer" thread, a single long thread is inherently disorganized, and that one grew to be a little unwieldy for finding information or for picking up and continuing an earlier strand of discussion. A single long thread has the additional disadvantage that everything is lost if the thread is lost. 

 

I understand there may be practical or technical reasons why adding another subforum is not feasible. If it can be done, though, I think it would be a popular subforum, and the idea warrants consideration. So I'll just make the suggestion and leave it with you.

 

Thanks,

 

RM

Running a little freight at the NJ HiRailers club next shows 12/6, 12/20 & 1/24/16            http://www.njhirailers.com/home