Multiple Unit Container Well Cars

[railandsail]

Each unit of a double-stack car is constructed with a single well, but are often constructed with multiple units of three to five units, connected by articulated connectors. Articulated connectors are supported by the centerplate of a single truck, (often a 125-short-ton, 112-long-ton or 113-tonne capacity truck but sometimes a 150-short-ton, 134-long-ton or 136-tonne capacity one).

Also, in a number of cases, multiple single-well cars (usually 3 or 5) are connected by drawbars and share a single reporting mark.

On both types of multiple-unit cars, the units are typically distinguished by letters, with the unit on one end being the “A” unit, and the unit on the other end being the “B” unit. Middle units are labeled starting with “C”, and going up to “E” for five-unit cars starting from the “A” unit and increasing towards the “B” unit.

Wikipedia

Is there a more specific name for these ‘groups’ of well cars that are joined by articulation and a single truck shared between units??

Can all of the 5 unit sets (HO models) be run as 3 unit sets?

Generally how long (overall length) is a 5 unit set,…HO scale??
(I’m looking to find out for my container yard design)

[gmpullman]

BNSF calls them five-well double stack cars.

https://www.bnsf.com/ship-with-bnsf/intermodal/service-options-and-details.html#subtabs-3

https://www.gbrx.com/manufacturing/north-america-rail/intermodal-units/maxi-stack-i-car/

Athearn version:

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH95040

Combined length is 265 feet 3½ inches or 36.59 inches in HO.

Can all of the 5 unit sets (HO models) be run as 3 unit sets?

A fellow I knew had dozens of them, as I recall it was a simple matter to leave units D and E out of the mix.

Cheers, Ed

[mbinsewi]

Is there a more specific name for these ‘groups’ of well cars that are joined by articulation and a single truck shared between units??

The different manufacturers have names like “Maxi-Stack”, etc, but Ed’s post is right on.

And, yes, you can run only 3 of a 5 unit set, but to be “correct”, you’d have to re-letter them.

I always thought you were a steam period modeler? [%-)]

I have a few 5 car sets, for 48’ containers, and in real time measurement, it’s 41" long.

There are also “stand alone well cars”, not part of a set, they have couplers on both ends, and, mostly only for single well cars, some have trailer 5th wheels on each end.

40’, 20’, and some 45’ containers are usually global (overseas, on a ship), I’m not sure about 48’, but 53’ footers are domestic only.

Mike.

[cv_acr]

A fellow I knew had dozens of them, as I recall it was a simple matter to leave units D and E out of the mix.

Cheers, Ed

Pretty much, although the car numbers would then be inaccurate since they’ve been modeled after 5-unit sets… if you even care about such things, and most people wouldn’t notice at a glance.

There are of course 5-unit sets, 3-unit sets and single unit cars. There are also 40’ and 53’ (and some older 48’ wells, but many of these have been rebuilt and converted to either 53’ or 40’ cars) for handling different size containers so this will affect your length as well.

[railandsail]

Athearn version:

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH95040

Combined length is 265 feet 3½ inches or 36.59 inches in HO.

Ed

I have a few 5 car sets, for 48’ containers, and in real time measurement, it’s 41" long.

Mike

That Athearn reference had a nice explaination.

So it appears that a 5 car set of the 40 foot cars is 36.5", and the 5 car set of 48 footers is about 41".

Thanks very much guys, I’ll provide a few photos of why I asked in the next day or so.

[railandsail]

I always thought you were a steam period modeler?

You are correct, I very much like steam engines,…but I am not bound to a specific era.

I’ll be posting this excerpt on another subject thread I am preparing…

Now the engines pulling those trains into the container area need to be provided an escape to get back to their maintenance/storage areas. The ones that concerned me the most were those long steam engines (and yes I do realize that container trains came along after the steam era, ….but this is my railroad, with a fair amount of steam engines).

I chose the SF 4-8-4 Northern with its very long tender as a measuring guide. If I can provide an escape route for this big long guy, then the others should not be a problem.

[railandsail]

So it appears that a 5 car set of the 40 foot cars is 36.5", and the 5 car set of 48 footers is about 41".

Thanks very much guys, I’ll provide a few photos of why I asked in the next day or so.

This is my tentative plan for container tracks on my lower peninsula. As it turns out I will be able to pull a 5 car unit into the container track on the left (where you see the 2 container cars in this photo)

As it just happened to turn out both 5 unit sets will fit between the turnouts at either end that are approx 42" apart.

NOTE: My second thought was since this was all going to be a paved area with the tracks embedded in that pavement, how about providing 3 tracks under those cranes? The container cranes and stacked containers, and container trucks/trailers could all navigate over those paved tracks,…that might be selectively utilized at different times.
(It has been pointed out to me that even 2 tracks under these style cranes is unusual, and now my choice of 3,…very unusual. But I figure, if it is all flush-paved then ‘potential usable tracks’ could be laid there.)

I’ll explain my reasoning for this container yard configuration in another upcoming subject thread.

[nealknows]

Only thing I see that you may want to reconsider is the double slip switch. Since we can’t see what is at the bottom of the photo, you may want to rethink the crossover. I’m assuming the tracks at the bottom go to another area? Can you give us more to look at?

[railandsail]

First off I am NOT receiving any messages about replies made to threads I’ve posted in lately?..any one else having such problems??

Those 2 tracks at the bottom of the photo end in just a few more inches,…at the very tip of the peninsula. Those 2 tracks are there to allow the long engine(s) that brought container trains into the crane facilities, to uncouple from the container cars, then pull foward enough to back up onto the ‘escape track’ along the edge of the peninsula just outside of the tracks under the crains,…and eventually back to the turntable or freight yard.

I was initially thinking I could just utilize ‘plain crossings’ in this area, but they were not versatile enough,…thus the double slip.

[SPSOT_fan]

40’, 20’, and some 45’ containers are usually global (overseas, on a ship), I’m not sure about 48’, but 53’ footers are domestic only.

According to Ed’s link from BNSF 20’ and 40’ are “Ocean”, so I guess international, and 45’, 48’ and 50’ are for domestic.