Container trains-Company pairings and train I.Ds

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I am trying to get some idea of what container names go on certain trains and which I.Ds they are with.

Forexample, there are a couple of trains where it is just Maersk, Sealand and Maersk Sealand containers; a train that just has APL containers, a train that just uses Evergreen, Uniglory, Hatsu Marine and a couple of others.

I don’t really care what railroad you give me but I could really use you help for modeling purposes.

Thanks for any help you can give.

2

An entire train consisting of only one trans-Pacific shipper’s containers is rare. The Santa Fe had exclusive contracts, and the BNSF may still have, with Maersk and JB Hunt shipping out of LA to Chicago. Today, on occasion, you might see an entire train consisting entirely of only one shipper’s containers. But, they are rare. Capacity problems on both the BNSF and UP have caused shippers to try and get their containers on the next train out to the intermodal facility that is closest to the final destination.
For the model railroader this a boon. If you were to model the BNSF, an engine consist could contain BNSF Heritiage I & II, BN, Santa Fe Super Fleet, and Santa Fe Warbonnet. I have seen engine consists many times have leased units, NS, and CN power running as well. The railcars can consist 3- and 5-unit wellcars, spines, 86-footers, and “triple-threat” 86-footers. While most railcars belong to Trailer Train, a number of cars belong to the railroads, the container shipping companies, and railroad equipment leasing companies. Shoot, I have seen single cars with Florida East Coast, NS, KCS, CN, and CP markings among the consists. There appears to be no limit to what you can model.

3

G.E./Secor is kind of interesting because the two companies use different type style for their names. GE and Secor are in a fifty-fifty partnership to offer logistic (including container) services. GE dot com mentions it for about a paragraph in its 2004 Annual Report.

Also, the Neptune Orient Line (NOL)'s mascot is an alligator! Now doesn’t that beat a splinter that purports to be a “swoosh”?