Lionel Autorack Height

Well, the actual car is a tad over 5" tall about the rail-head.  I know it hits a 5" bridge.

I'm getting 4 7/8 from the top of the rail.

tr18 posted:

I'm getting 4 7/8 from the top of the rail.

Thank you! Thats exactly what i needed! Im assumimg the tooling for the new releases is basically the same. Hoping anyway.

I have a older Miami Valley wood bridge that I had to take out the inner cross bars so these cars would go through. However I did notice before I got rid of them that the MTH premier car carriers were a tad taller sitting on track then the LIonel scale ones. The MTH cars were the older versions before they change the positions of the trucks. So I don't know if the new ones might sit lower...................Paul 2

Hmm... I might be thinking of the MTH autocarriers, I know they were hitting the 5" bridge span.

Hey guys, I was looking at these cars too.  They dont tell much about the use of or functionality of them.  Can someone explain what they do if anything and what they are used for on the railroad?  Thanks

Choo Choo Johnny posted:

Hey guys, I was looking at these cars too.  They dont tell much about the use of or functionality of them.  Can someone explain what they do if anything and what they are used for on the railroad?  Thanks

These cars just couple to others and make a train. Doors open.

New automobiles are transported from the factory to places of distribution, and from the ports to places of distribution 

Choo Choo Jonny: they are used for two main reasons (1) carry new auto/vehicles from manufacturing point to distribution points for dealers, (2) on the Amtrak Auto Trains.

The auto racks that are being made today seem to be O gauge [traditional O] I just measured one of my old O gauge ones and from top of shelf to top of car about 4 1/4" high. "O" scale of course would be higher. 

If you are building a shelf you need to leave room for your hands above then to pi k theme up.

Related to Choo Choo Johnny's post: I just read on the industry news wire that RR's are closing there auto ramps (unloading distribution points) because of so many dealership's being closed but are suspecting a surge once they open up again.

Last year auto (carried in/on Auto Racks) and auto parts (most carried in containers) represented 6% of rail traffic.

Over all rail traffic this year is down 7.2% from last year's figures, if I remember right, last year's figures for the year were about the same or a tad lower do to weather conditions and the Tariff Wars.