The Westinghouse #801 railcar was built by KRL in 2012. There are some excellent videos on Youtube that show this railcar and the companion #800 railcar being transported. The videos show several flatcars carrying special "rails" which are used to support the "load".
The model photo attached shows those "rails" being used to support the "scale model" load.
Another photo shows those rails being transported on a flatcar.
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Lotta wheels there on 801.
The Westinghouse and ABB Schnabel cars are pretty interesting cars. The most recent ones like 801 are larger and carry heavier loads than those made in the past, but I'm content with the MTH model: anything significantly longer would hang over track edges, etc., too much on my layout, and the MTH model represents the idea of a Schnabel car pretty nicely. I also like the detail: crisp graphics down to the fine print, rivets, case hinges, etc., all nicely done and fairly representative of the real thing.
And in addition, I actually rode on that particular Schnabel car - the (W) one MTH models. Just once, but when it was loaded with a large power transformer body - and only across the yard at the Westinghouse/ABB Muncie Indiana plant, but still . . .
When the Westinghouse crews move a load using the prototype #800 or #801 the route has to be evaluated and approved by the railroad line. Also there are precautions taken to avoid (or adjust for) side to side obstructions, overhead obstructions and track inclines. The same precautions would be need taken when operating the #801 model on an O scale model railroad. Operating at slow speeds (like the prototype) is necessary to avoid tipping the load. Unfortunately my O scale model does NOT have hydraulic adjustment capability like the prototype. My layout has O-72 curves so that I would have to "manually" shift the load on the #801 to even negotiate these curves. However with 36 axles the O scale model tracks quite well. Since the "load" rides very close to the rail the center of gravity of the loaded car is as low as possible.
HO scale version of the #800:
The attached photo show a very finely detailed HO scale model of the CEBX 800 railcar (now Westinghouse #800). This HO model is made by Elgin Locomotive Works. The details on this HO model are exceptional. I plan to add some super details to my O scale version of the Westinghouse #801 railcar in the near future. I need to find O scale railings. I would prefer photo etched parts if they would be commercially available.
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