Bulkhead flatcar questions

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

Two potentially stupid questions regarding bulkhead flatcars.

1- the length (say, 50’) refers to the car’s length, not the space between the bulkheads, right?

2- Where can I scrounge up some prototype plans or drawings for a 50 footer? It looks like I’m going to have to kitbash some and I want to make sure they’re correct.

Thanks!

2

I believe Wikious is correct. For instance, an SP class F-70-7 had an overall car length of 53 feet. If modified to have bulkheads, the distance between bulkheads was 48’6".

Mark

3

Normally “length” is interior length, which on a bulhead flatcar would be the distance between the bulkheads. So a 50’ bulkhead flat would be close to 54-56 ft over the end sills. A “40 ft” boxcar is actually 45 ft long.

Use the trains magazine search to look for publish plans.

Dave H.

4

Well, let’s look at this a bit more closely.

The SP “50-foot” box car class B-50-47 had these length dimensions: length over couplers 55’8.25", length over strikers 53’2.25", length over running boards 52’6", length over ends 50’8", and length of car interior 49"11.5".

The SP “36-foot” stock car class S-40-5 had dimensions: length over strikers 38’?“, length over running boards 38’5”, length over ends 37’4.75", length of car interior 36’6.125".

The SP “40-foot” gondola class G-50-5 had a length over striker plate of 42’3.5" and an interior length of 40’4".

The SP “40-foot” flat car class F-50-4 had a 44’0.25 length over pulling face of couplers, and a 40’10" length over floor.

The SP “60-foot” coach class 60-C-10 had a coupled length of 68’6.875", length over end sills (inward of the vestibules) of 59’10", with the interior less than that for the wall thickness, say 59’2"?

I don’t have detailed plans for the SP bulkhead flat, but I really wonder if the 53’ flat was then considered a 48’6" car when the bulkheads were added as a modification

5

Thank you very much, Dave and Mark! It’s nice to know I’m not crazy after all.

6

It appears that length now always refers to the inside length, with the probable exceptions of hopper and tank cars. Here are some examples from the January 2008 ORER.

IL = Interior Length, EL = Exterior Length

CHTT 360205 (GB) - IL: 65’-6", EL: 71’-0"

SP 243489 (XM) - IL: 50’-7", EL: 57’-11"

SP 509325 (FBS) - IL: 57’-0", EL: 66’-5"

SSW 87500 (FB) - IL: 60’-7", EL: 70’-2"

SSW 87507 (FBS) - IL: 60’-7", EL: 71’-0"

TTPX 80742 (FBS) - IL: 60’-6", EL: 73’-4"

TTPX 805000 (FB) - IL: 62’-0", EL: 73’-4"

7

I don’t know how “correct” they are, but Walthers has a GSC 53’6" cast flat car, with optional bulkhead ends. I liked the flatcars as-is, so built mine that way:

However, not wanting to wasted the bulkhead ends, I used them on some Athearn 50’ flatcars that I’d “re-decked” with real boards:

8

For SANTA FE prototype diagrams, visit the late Russell Crump’s “Eastern Archives” at http://atsfry.com

click on Table of Contents

select Freight car folios

then Santa Fe freight car folios- FT flat cars

9

Thanks for the link! Wasn’t quite what I needed, though, so I broke down and decided to cheat by buying one at my LHS and taking measurements from there.