Help understanding flat cars and trailers lengths and fitment - just getting started

General
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Hello,

I don’t “yet” have any Intermodal cars, mainly just a bunch of boxcars, and I really want to start getting some tankers, which are easy, but also Intermodal cars.

I’ve noticed I can’t find these as sets anywhere. Does anyone know anywhere that sells Flat Cars with Trailers in N Scale?

My question is this. It looks like most flat cars are 50’ in length. But I know most “real” trailers are 53’ in length, so logically speaking, they wouldn’t fit on the flat car!

Also, I’ve seen neat looking flat cars with depressed centers, but that would give even less room for the trailer, so what about those?

Can someone provide a link or two to some examples of a pair of a flat car and a trailer that would work together in N Scale for me?

I normally buy from Trainworld or eBay but would be happy to purchase anywhere as long as I can find what I need.

I guess I just need a better understanding as to how these two pieces fit together.

Thanks in advance for your help!

–Jason

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Modern day Trailer-On-Flat-Car service (since like the 70s) are I believe 89’ long, accommodating a pair of 43’ trailers. Older trailers were closer to 30’ long, and could fit on shorter flatcars. Hope this helps you in your search!

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Thank you very much for your reply. I appreciate it. I’m having trouble finding any flat cars longer than 40 feet and most of the trailers I’m finding are between 53’ and 60’. Have you seen any of these products in N Scale? Could you point me to a link? Maybe I’m just not looking in the right place or entering the correct search terms. Also, I model the 1980’s and not modern times, so I’d really like to stay with the 53’ trailers, the kind that hook to tractors that ship things on the roadways. 53’ is the longest allowed on the road, even today, I believe. But correct me if I’m wrong. Thanks again.

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I am finding some 50’ flat cars, too, though.

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I’ll try to find some 89’ cars and 43’ trailers. I’ll start searching now. Thanks for the tip!

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Athearn:

MicroTrains:

Atlas:

Help with tracking:

Good Luck, Ed

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Thank you so much!!!

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Jason, 53’ is the current standard longest trailer allowed on the Federal Interstate Highway System.

I have read that Texas does allow 60’ trailers in INTRAstate (within Texas, Only) use, but outside of Texas, the 60’ trailers are prohibited

53’ is a common size, but in Refrigerated service, the 48’ trailers are still built and fairly common.

In Solo use, 40’, 45’, 48 and 53’ are the common trailer sizes, with 102”(8.5’) being the current maximum width, without permits

The 27/28’ trailers are allowed Coast to Coast, Top to Bottom in Interstate use as Doubles, some States allow them in Triple trailer use

Some states also allow for twin 32’ “Maxi-Doubles “, and some states allow for a variety of asymmetrical doubles, such as 35/27, 40/20, 48/28. And some states allow Tandem Long trailers, often referred to as “Turnpike Doubles”, which I believe can be 45’ or 48’, I don’t know if any states allow Twin 53’ Turnpikes, I have never pulled Turnpikes, but I have pulled most of the other combinations.

I won’t say that there were never any 43’ trailers built, but in almost 37 years driving truck, I have never heard of built as designed 43’ trailers, but I have seen many oddballs, that were wreck damaged rebuilds of unusual lengths, cut off the damaged part, and put the nose or doors on the undamaged part and keep hauling freight.

Doug

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53’ trailers did not appear until 1989. Before that 48’ were the longest.

Sheldon

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