Its taken a while but I finally got an official answer back from BNSF today Thursday June 6th. One “Unit” is one Intermodal box whether it is a 20 ft. container, or a 53 ft. trailer. So a doublestack well will hold at least two “units”.
I believe you John. I believe you contacted BNSF and I believe the BNSF guy gave you that answer.
Problem is, there’s a technical oversight in that definition. The railcar builders all define an intermodal “unit” as that section of railcar between the trucks, and define “platform” as the space necessary to hold one 40’-53’ box or trailer. So a 3 pack well car has 3 units and 6 platforms, while a 5 pack spine car has 5 units and 5 platforms, ect. Two 20’s would therefore occupy one platform, and 2 20’s in the bottom well and one 40’ on top are occupying two platforms and one unit. That’s why I am doubting BNSF’s ostensible accounting of what is and isn’t a “unit”.
The other thing that raises an eyebrow or two is that, if a “unit” is any single container or trailer, then those numbers given in the financial statement do not mesh with other internal analysis of the true profitability of intermodal. You know, when BNSF’s own people are quoted a year ago as saying they “hope intermodal will start to see positive returns on investment.”[;)]
Two sets of books, perhaps?
I don’t know about the railcar builders, but to the railroads “well” and “platform” are the same. In BNSF’s case it started with the 10-section Flatcars Santa Fe developed to reduce Tare weight when handling TOFC. One Flatcar could handle 10 trailers, each car was just a skeletal centersill except for the “platform” to support the trailer wheels, hence the description as a 10 platform car.
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&nbs