I was poking around the web today and tumbled to this:
http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/boxing-road-loads-for-rail.html
http://www.raildecks.com/product/intermodal_process.html
I do not know how to get pics but I think I got the links.
It looks interesting. Basically a freight pallet (not a container) for open goods loads ie flatbed loads.
Rgds IGN
TMC and Maverick were both Thinking of these. Then they saw the EMPTY WEIGHT it weighs as much as a Steel Flatbed des EMPTY without the Chassis under it. So if you want to give up 6K in Cargo Capacity in a Market where hauling 48-50K is a REQUIREMENT and if you can not your dead so fast. TMC even with their Heavy Pete 389’s can carry 48,500K lbs on FULL tanks Maverick can carry 50K lbs withtheir Freightliners. So do the math give up 3 tons so for every 8 loads your going to need one more TRUCK. That and they will not return EMPTY.
What is being touted as a new idea really isn’t. I’ve seen any number of flatbed “containers” with fold-down ends used to handle machinery and other large items.
I think the new feature here is that it’s “double-stackable” when in the normal unfolded configuration, and that another fully-loaded container - of any type - of up to 75,000 lbs. GVW can then be placed on to of it. See: http://www.raildecks.com/product/raildecks_equipment.html
Perhaps also the 53 ft. length (vs. 20 ft. or 40 ft.) in a foldable flat rack ?
Finally, the website says that the support posts (for the container above) can be moved from 40 ft. spacing to 50 ft. spacing if needed to accomodate the load - though I suppose that would negate the ability to stack another box on top of it.
EDIT: Link to previous thread here started by samfp1943 about 2 months ago (10-18-2011) on the same topic, captioned as “CPRR puts a new wrinkle into Intermodal movements”:
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/197943/2162146.aspx#2162146
I think the ability to move the support posts out to 50’ spacing is for loading/unloading purposes only, in transit they’d be locked at 40’.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2522921
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2797895
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2797944
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2797945
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2797947
Looks like a logical solution to those situations where a regular box just won’t do the job. With IM getting priority on most lines these days, it means that “my” load (which would have otherwise have been loaded on a flatcar and handled in manifest freights) will get there just that much faster.
Jesus Mary Jeosph those things are HEAVY. 12 500 Just for the Can that is 3 freaking Grand MORE than what TMC and Mavericks TRAILERS are allowed to weigh. With a Chassis your going to be at 20K. Which means your POOPING AWAY 20%of theCargo Weight YOU COULD BE HAULING Just to do it in a Domestic Container. Sorry but No MAJOR FLATBED COMPANY WILL BITE They will be KILLED Just by their Competitors on the WEIGHT ALONE on this one.
Depends on the commodity, and relative rates. For example, medium-size pipes (3 ft. to 4 ft. diameter are mostly air, and you can only get 3 - 5 or so on a load; bigger ones may be only 1 or 2 on a load. Pressure vessels, cylindrical tanks, HVAC units, etc. are likewise.
If the rail haul is long enough and fast enough, and the dray at the ends is short enough, and the rail rates are cheaper enough than the Over-the-Road truck, then it might make economic sense. Take away any of those, and it won’t.
$1.50 per mile for an OTR run for a 25-ton load is 6 cents per ton-mile. Most rail rates can be less than that as long as not for expedited service and no other extraordinary needs - depends on how competitive the railroad wants to be.
Sounds like a great tool for the right application. Of course it won’t eliminate flatbed trucking, but I can see where in some applications, i…e longer hauls, loads not too heavy, it would be the way to go.
You can not COUNT on LIGHT LOADS in Each DIRECTION in Flatbed my neighbor that runs for TMC his NORMAL load is 44K POUNDS. With this system he would not even be able to PULL THAT even with a DAYCAB here in IL. Most of teh Big AC Units that are hauled on Flats are around 15K lbs each and they haul 3 at a time so 45K lbs for a total load. PVC Pipe total loads are around 42-44K lbs. About the ONLY thing your going to be able to haul on this trailer as a Full load is Insulation those weigh only 20K lbs however good luck getting those BOTH ways.
No way a Carrier is going to Accept over 50% EMPTY mileage anymore this is NOT the 70’s with Diesel Fuel at 40Cents a gallon. Also your not going to get enough Loads to one OD pair to make the investment in the Containers worth it.
Nowadays you can’t count on any loads in each direction. Thus, if you’re hauling into places like the Northeast, Western Canada, and much of the US West, chances are better than 50/50 that you’re going to be running alot of empty miles to your next load anyway, and you price your inbound accordingly… Take Alberta as a prime example…lots of pipe and oil equipment in, and almost nothing but the odd load of lumber and building materials out. The railroads too price their services with that hard reality in mind…they too have to reposition their equipment and they too incur a cost in doing so. And like trucking, that cost is borne, at least in part, by the inbound shipper.
Ulrich:
Don’t know too much about those areas, But in the South Part of the Midwest there is a severe lack of hay to feed livestock (The drought, fires and weather) have taken care of those items.) How is hay up there? I’ve back hauled all sorts of grains in vans and reefers to get to a place to reload.
Just a thought.
Not sure about the hay situation up here, but that’s a good suggestion and I will look into it.