A Couple of Modern Intermodal Questions....

[Ike the BN Freak]

http://www.pbase.com/intermodal/image/102339851/original

Trinity 57' spine w/ trailer.

I know the cars exist...but I thought that the 57' was the next logical step in trailer lengths.

I mean we went from 45' to 53 pretty quick.

[One of One-Sixty]

As someone who works for "Big Brown" and feeding my hub as well as other hubs in the in my district a 57' would be a nightmare, especially with NYC not allowing anything over 48' on public streets.  I wouldn't be able to send 57's anywhere really except out of the district and maybe 2 other hubs in my immediate area.  I'm swamped as is with 53's now.

I'm just glad I am no longer unloading those beasts, not even our new unloading equip can reach the back of a 53' much less a 57'.

[jagged ben]

This thread hasn't mentioned international shippers yet.  Here are are the general guidelines I use for western roads based on lots of pictures and observation over the years...

These are seen mainly (or only) on UP:
APL
K-line (although used to appear on ATSF)

These are seen mainly (or only) on BNSF:
Yang Ming
Senator
Safmarine
CMA CGM

These are see on both:
China Shipping
Cosco
Hanjin
Hyundai (mainly on BNSF)
MSC (mainly on BNSF)
NYK (mainly on BNSF)
Evergreen group (includes Uniglory, Italia, etc) (seems like only UP in California nowadays, but BNSF in the northwest.  Used to be ATSF transcon as well.)
Maersk (mainly on BNSF, ATSF used to have a Maersk train)

Other notes:
SP used to have Sealand , Evergreen and APL trains.   BN had a Sealand train that I think interchanged with the NYSW, and/or CSX.  The APL trains also interchanged with Conrail somehow.
Most of the leasing companies cans could appear on any train if they were doing business then. 

[rswinnerton]

57' trailers definately exist. As a driver, I'd hate to see them come east of the Mississippi River. It's almost too cramped for 53's as was mentioned.

Here's an Xtra Leaser in its natural habitat:

[GaryHinshaw]

Welcome to Railwire Ben!  Great info - thanks for posting it.  Now if only we could buy some of those cans from Deluxe...

[Robbman]

BNSF well cars are common in the NS trains between Kenova and Williamson, WV.  Now that they've enlarged their tunnels it seems that there are almost as many double stacks as coal trains.

Just wait... they've only actually added one train... 236 (used to go via Bristol/Knoxville)... the existing 233/234 got double-stacked, and the exisiting TOFC 217/218 carry some COFC for Greensboro/Charlotte now. 


On topic, HUB maintains container pools specifically for BNSF (HUBU reporting marks),  UP (UPHU) and NS (NHUU, with some older NS/BNSF HUNU ) as well as a general pool (HGIU)

EMP was a container pool for UP, CR and NS (thus the colors of it's logos) but is now pretty much NS/UP

UMAX is a container pool for UP/CSX

[nkalanaga]

NS and the state of WV are building a new Intermodal Facility (their name...) at Prichard, where I'm now working, within sight of the old N&W coaling tower.  Once that's up and running there should be a LOT of double stack traffic.  Currently they're still hauling rock to build up the flood plain...

[C855B]

57' trailers definitely exist. As a driver, I'd hate to see them come east of the Mississippi River. It's almost too cramped for 53's as was mentioned.

Here's a white paper from 2003 discussing the status of 57'-60' trailers: http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/TRB_82/TRB2003-000701.pdf

[jagged ben]

Welcome to Railwire Ben!  ...

Thanks.  I got a little stir crazy after the Atlas forum went down...   

[Bob Bufkin]

Good info here.   Does anyone know if they still use triple trailers anywhere in the U.S.  Read something about these (mini trains) a few years back thinking it would be a PITA to run these in the Eastern U.S.

[Hyperion]

Good info here.   Does anyone know if they still use triple trailers anywhere in the U.S.  Read something about these (mini trains) a few years back thinking it would be a PITA to run these in the Eastern U.S.

Yeah, like the big 57-footers, they still run the triples out West.  Pretty much Kansas and west, with some exceptions in there.

[Robbman]

Good info here.   Does anyone know if they still use triple trailers anywhere in the U.S.  Read something about these (mini trains) a few years back thinking it would be a PITA to run these in the Eastern U.S.

Triple 28's (and two 40-45s... though only dump and fat beds are seen now) are allowed on the Ohio Turnpike

[esa123]

I live in Portland OR and see about 15 triple 28's from various trucking lines each day on my way home from work!

[jagged ben]

Saw some triple 28's in Utah recently.  I do not recall ever seeing one in California, but maybe I don't get around enough.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Saw some triple 28's in Utah recently.  I do not recall ever seeing one in California, but maybe I don't get around enough.

I know they do to SoCal.  UPS would run triple 28s south of Las Vegas on I-15.

I'd also see double 40-45s on I-15.

Here in Spokane all I ever see is double 28s or a 40-45 with a 28