Thank you for publishing the article “How Heavy can freight cars get?” in the March 2006 issues of Trains. It provided a very valuable valuable tutorial on the many challenges that face the Class I, and Class II & III railroads for that matter, as they move toward implementing 315,000 lbs railcars.
The article’s explanation of the mechanical and operational challeneges versus the economic benefits of being able to haul more with less was enlightening.