USA Trains Double Stack Container Car Vertical Height

Garden Railroading
1

[?]
Could anyone tell me how high the USA Trains Double Stack Container Car is from top-of-rail to the top of the car? I’m working on my tunnel portal and bridge clearances and want to make sure I allow enough vertical space.

I’m thinking 9 inches of vertical clearance is an absolute minimum to handle both a Double Stack and some of the large 1:20.3 Accucraft engines.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

Rocky Grande
from the
Rocky Grande Southern
Upland, California

2

I seem to remember a trackside photo of a double-stack just clearing the top of the portal and the caption below describing the portal opening being about 10".

Mark

3

Hi Rocky,

[#welcome] Allow at least 10" on your tunnel. My tallest car is an LGB drovers caboose and that needs 10" from track top to clearing the stove pipe. I think Marty would hall the double-stacks, I am sure he will give you exact clearances.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

4

I’ve been making everything 10" tall off the rail and 8" wide because visitors sometimes bring 1:20 scale engines with plows over to run.

5

Just went and measured one for you . Top of rail to top of containr is 8 1/2 " .

6

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I’ll go with a minimum 10" vertical clearance on my tunnels and bridges and 8" horizontal clearance on the tunnel portals.

I just didn’t want to cement together the rocks that will form my tunnel portals only to find later on that they weren’t wide enough!

Thanks again.

John
“Rocky Grande”

7

Rocky,

I stopped by Charles RO (USA Trains) Saturday and they had a whole bunch of the container cars out along with the containers. On the write up at the store it said they are 9.5 inches tall. So 10 inches may be tight for your tunnel.

Hope this helps and is not too late.