I have a Walthers 72’ Centerbeam Flatcar and I decided to measure it today so I got my HO scale ruler and measured it and to my surprise it is 74’ 6" long, not including the couplers. Is it supposed to be like this. Do they just pick a number close to the actual length and go with that.
Victor
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I believe it is the overall car length w/o couplers. Draft gear box to same/ frame.
Bob K.
The car lengths are typically inside lengths. Some of the last 40’ boxcars made for the PM were 40’6" inside, 42’3" over the running boards (roof walks), 41’ 8 1/4" over the strikers, and 44’ 2 1/2" over the pulling faces of the couplers.
Would that make a centerbeam or gon the length inside the bulkhead? Don’t know if there’s any standard for measurements.
Bob K.
Thanks guys. Ill have to remember that.
Victor
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I’m not sure if this is a railroad or more of a modeler thing, but at least in the model railroad press, frieght cars tend to be refered to by their inside lengths. I would think that anything related to load capacity would be given the most prominence by the railroads too. If you ever get to look at a freight car diagram, you’ll find a bunch of length dimensions.
Never thought of that, thanks for the info.
Victor
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Official length depends on who’s measuring and why.
The shipper is concernend with inside length, unless he’s constructing loading platforms, when he needs “length over pulling faces” or to the inside of the coupling knuckle.
European and British cars were quoted as “length over buffers”.
Next time you see a real box car, look for “IL” this is the internal length. This tells the shipper how much usable length is available to him.
This dimension is also quoted in the ORER which gives a guide for the shipper , the agent and the railroad. This dimension scheme is applied to all cars except tank cars.
I knew that but why didnt I think of it. Thanks for the memory jog.
Victor
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