How's it done

I was stopped at an RR crossing and was watching the cars, how do they load these trailers on the cars?

Those are the trucks they hit that dont stop for crossing arms! My guess is a crane and slings, but let's see who actually knows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1E9IEs3hLY

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9rg5Mxf1-Q

thanks, John.

I really don t know for sure , I am guessing that maybe they use a ramp & special tractor to put them on with. Then lock to to fifth wheel pin & tie it down .

John

crane, with big clamps that hook on the frame rail of the trailer. John's links show it.

You are welcome.

If you look between the arrows I drew on the picture you can see the rub rails they have installed on the trailer just for that machine in the video.

I don't know how these trailers are loaded, but I have seen lots of military trains coming through loaded with all kinds of motorized vehicles, everything from pickup trucks to humvees to all sorts of large construction machines. I've noticed that the flatcars have foldable ramps that bridge to the next car. They can lower the ramps and drive the equipment on, unlimited number of vehicles/flat cars. Probably can load an entire train in a couple of hours, not counting the tie-down. Maybe the trailers are handled in a similar fashion.

Very interesting. Thanks for the link. I always thought they used ramps or a side dock that was the same height as the rail car. Jim

Wow, watching the crane pick up those trailers....

Sure would seem to scrap up the heck on the boxes.

And, are those special boxes? Would seem to be a lot of stress on 4 spots, didn"t think a regular box could handle that.

--->Paul

Talking about hauling trucks on trains, coming home from Tucson today we came up on a truck hauling something tightly shrink wrapped in blue plastic. I pulled alongside and it was a train car! The trucks (wheels) and coupler were clearly visible. Looking closely it looked to be a passanger car. Why would they send a train car somewhere on a truck??

heres the link
clickable link

Something small enough to fit on a truck, wheels included, would be old.

Old tran cars don't pass inspection easily. Some had wood frame, not allowed any more. Getting the brakes to pass is tough.

No rail co wants to deal with one car any more.

Many such are going to museums, or converted to office or yard art, and not near current track. Easier to load up right away and truck it.

Here is an example:

http://7stream.com/9517/move.html
Jims caboose

This got longer than I thought it would.
Earlier in my career I did it that way too. Smaller rail yards didn't have enough traffic to justify the big equipment to lift them on/off. Worked for the truck terminal across the street from rail ramp, boss had contract with railroad to do all their ramp work. Was a combo end ramp for trailers & side dock for unloading box cars. Used regular tractor, unhook the pin, crank the 5th wheel down to the deck, back up the ramp & pull the trailer down. Trailers secured by the pin only, no other tie-downs. If more than one flat car, flip the bridge plates down & drive across. Reverse the process putting them back on.
EXCEPT there was a slight curve in the track so couldn't kick the nose pushing them on if more than 2 cars. Then have to load 4 trailers & have switch crew shuttle them around to get empty flats up to ramp.
It got really involved when a car in a string came in backwards. Then nose tractor onto an empty, get switched to front of first trailer, pull it across & get switched back to ramp & back it to the ground. Repeat for second trailer. Alternative was to send car 60 miles to nearest turntable, second day spin it around & third day bring it back.
Paul can verify the ramp is still there, but hasn't been used for piggy-backs for 25-30 years. Across the street from the burned out flour mill. He lives about 10-15 miles away.
Side Bar: Way back when they built the big oil pipe in Alaska the pipe coating was made by the local 3M plant. Although the rail ran next to their parking lot, there was no siding there. Boss had contract to do all their rail work. With 2 of us working together we could unload/deliver a car load of raw material & reload with finished product in about 6 hours. Did 100 carloads in & 100 carloads out during that summer.
Willie

Boy, that is slick!!

My bet that if it was protected by shrink wrap that it was a restored Pullman car. Their is a group of people that travel this way and it is a very luxurious and expensive way to travel. They form a group and travel to different destinations together by rail in the comfort of a modern motor coach without having to do the driving. I met several people in Petosky, Michigan a couple of years ago that were traveling this way. If I remember there were six cars in the group.

Like they said with a crane it"s called tofc trailer on flat car same with shipping containers. Alot of your US mailed is hauled that way behind amtrak. locomotive engineer 10 years.