NO. The Bowser’s are 53’.
Ed
Here at Hulsey we see 53 Foot containers and trailers on TTAX cars quite often
Info for all to view.
I would not worry too much about getting 57ft spine cars, 53ft spine cars are perfect for Trailers/Containers, the number on the side of the equipment, 53ft designates the size equipment that will fit on the car, not the length of the car. And 57ft trailers are not allowed in all states and some only with a permit…which is not cheap. The only time I ever witnessed 57ft trailers in use when I ran coast to coast was Texas and OK. on the OK. Turnpike, you can see double 57ftrs running on it.
Here is a list of all states that will allow them and ones that need a permit:
Contrary to some peoples belief, it is not that easy to get around with a 53ft, let alone a 57ft. They don’t bend in the middle around corners.
http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/TRB_82/TRB2003-000701.pdf
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
TTAX cars are 53 footers; TTRX cars are 57’s.
When I last did my semi-decadal research at my favorite train-watching spot in 2010, the two sizes were about equally represented. Note that the 57’s are three unit platforms, while the 53’s are USUALLY 5 unit platforms. The latter also show up as 3’s, on occasion–I only saw a couple of these, though.
Also, you can put two 28 foot trailers on a single 57’ platform, but you can’t do that on the 53’s. Should you so desire.
Ed
hello ed… where is hulsey… which state…
thanks for the info… looks like i can run the 53ft trailers on the shorter walthers cars by only putting 3 on a 5 x spine care unit… for the rest i will need to get some longer spine cars… bowser
i see that the trailers also can be put into well cars… seen these with trailer hitches… do these carry 53 ft trailers… thanks peter
I’m aguessin’ Georgia. But I think someone else here is more knowledgeable than I on that.
From what I’ve seen, you can put trailers into and on whatever they’ll fit. That means the wheels have to be supported, and the trailer can’t hit the railcar or another trailer. Oh, yeah. You need a hitch, too.
Ed
Peter,
[swg] [swg] I had a Martrac 48ft reefer break in half while unloading from one of those tub cars with fifth wheels on them with a side loader, you have to use the grappler arms to get them out and there is not a real lot of room for them. Good new’s the reefer was loaded from Mars candy. We were eating M&M’s for a month. It would be the railroads call on that. No flimsy JB Hunts or Schneider 53ft trailers, they are getting rid of them anyway and going all 53ft containers.
My Son Pete is an ATM at UP Intermodal yard in Joliet, Il. My youngest Son Nick, He’s 35 is a yard master at the CSX Intermodal yard where I worked. I’ll ask Pete for sure when he gets up, He’s gotta work tonite. I retired when they got heavy with 53ft containers and I’m not a railfanner, known as foamer’s by Railroad people, at least this part of the country. No offence to railfanning. [:D]
Take Care!
Frank
Of course I’ll offer the obligatory “it’s your RR and you can do what you like” and get that out of the way from the git go.
If you are trying to follow common practice for a given time period, then trailer length and intermodal rail cars should correspond to the time frame. In other words, if you are modeling 1985, I don’t think trailers longer than 45’ were used in intermodal service and rail cars were configured to handle 45’ trailers - and maybe some were preparing themselves for 48’ trailers so some rail cars may have been configured to handle them.
As for 53’ trailers, I believe others have mentioned Bowser makes spine cars which are of the type built to handle those trailers (and of course shorter trailers). The ETTX Long Runner draw bar connected 89’ flat cars can handle long trailers too with one trailer straddling the two flat cars.
Interestingly, I’ve read that many well cars in the past 10 years have been cut down to handle 40’ containers because apparently international shipping and overseas still uses 40 and shorter containers, apparently longer containers are domestic use only so some rail cars used for international are set up for 40’ now. I’ll defer to the “modern” folks to comment further on that!
Cheers, Jim
Worldwide standard shipping containers are 20 & 40ft containers, packed in container racks on container ships 9 high. No provision for anything larger. But some container lines would run under certain conditions 45’s on deck. Containers capable of being stacked 9 high must be corten steel, most of that info, used to be on all standard shipping containers.
Take Care!
Frank
I think the cars most hit by the “remodeling” would be the 48’ single and drawbar connected well cars. They can’t accept 53’ containers; there don’t seem to be any 48’ boxes around any more, 45’s aren’t real common. I also think that both 40’ and 53’ wells have been made from them. Seems to me they could make a 40’ and a 53’ from two 48’s. But I don’t know whether that actually happened. For a modeler, though, it tends to be an attractive idea. Walthers was going to bring out a model of the stretch-53’, but changed their mind. Sadly.
Ed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K_a_Xnlyq0 hello jim… here is a video of what i run… there are 53 foot cars on 89 ft flats…peter
ETTX is a tri level autorack, TTEX is the long runner.
Hi Frank, I used to work for Continental Can. I’m interested in your work experiences with Continental Can. From which CCC plant(s) did you pick up plate, and to what CCC plant in Connecticut did you try to delivery to? Did you deliver to other plants too? thank you Rob.
[#welcome] to the forum. You are in luck, this thread is a a 4 year old thread, but Frank is still around and active and since this is your first post, it’s probably all for the best. I would be very suspicious of a private message from someone with 0 posts.
Your initial 10 post are moderated, so there is a lag time until it appears.
Really old posts started by a guy named Anonymous with 400,000 posts are best left alone. The links and the photos usually don’t work and Anoymous left the forum years ago.
Hi Rob,
[#welcome] To The Forums…
I answered Your PM…You may do that anytime. I’m not on the Forums much anymore, but I answer PM’s.
Take Care! [:D]
Frank