I wonder how high the highest cars are in our hobby? Trailer, container or something else? I’m talking HO scale.
I believe that double-stack domestic US containers are the highest loading gauge height, but it’s possible that some new triple deck auto racks may now exceed even that. Anyone know for sure?
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I remember reading in MR or TRAINS that Up until the Auto-max carriers Double stacked well cars were the tallest.
anyone confirm it?
The double stacks are the highest on my layout. I had to modify the Walther double-track truss bridge because they wouldn’t fit.
IIRC, the double stack well cars with the high capacity domestic containers are the tallest cars, but I suspect the articulated auto carriers are not far behind. BTW, the Rio Grande ‘Moffit’ route cannot handle these super-size containers. The UP routes them all over Sherman Hill. Moffit may be able to handle doubled up sea containers though. Any Denver ara railfans know the current capacity status of the Moffit line?
Jim
How high are a double-stack in HO scale? This is what you guys mean by double-stack right?
Mine are right at 3.75" . I give them 4" minimum clearance.
I don’t know if anyone has made models of them yet or not but the new Holland American double deck land cruiser passenger cars are 19’ 6" tall. An HO model would be 2.7" tall.
P.S. How tall are the triple deck covered auto transports?
Not sure where they scale out but those articulated auto carriers are HUGE. They seem to fit through Pattenburg Tunnel on the old Lehigh Line out of Oak Island because that’s where I saw them, on the East Penn heading West. I saw an N scale model of one and thought it was an HO model at first. The HO scale ones look like an S scale model.
–Randy
From the wikipedia website, regarding the Auto-Max cars:
Railroads of today are still grappling with the problem of loading more and larger vehicles onto autoracks. One popular solution is to create a double-length car that is articulated over a single middle truck (bogie) so that each half of the car is about the same length as a conventional autorack. These cars, which can be seen in operation on many of the railroads of the western US, are brand named AutoMax cars. These cars, built by Gunderson (a subsidiary of The Greenbrier Companies) measure 145 ft 4 in (44.3 m) long and 20 ft 2 in (6 m) tall; they feature adjustable interior decks to carry up to 22 light trucks and minivans.
Don Z.
Guess the double stacks win then, 20 feet 2 inches in HO would be 2.77 inches tall.
–Randy
The answers all appear to be directed toward enclosed cars in standard usage. However railroads have always carried high and wide loads and even have departments assigned to find routes that have sufficient clearance for them. One of these would undoubtedly be the winner. Years ago in Trains were pictures of an attempt on the CP or CN to move a water tower in it’s vertical position or a station on a flat car down the road a few miles. It didn’t make it but it sure trumped any car in regular service!