N&W 400000... some kind of joint DT&I unicorn?

[lock4244]

Came across this shot of N&W 400000 the other day and am unable to find any info on it whatsoever. It's a pretty hot car without the DT&I logo added, wondering if anyone may have any idea what the story was here?

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[Jbub]

That looks like a tri level auto rack without end doors.

[lock4244]

That looks like a tri level auto rack without end doors.

I get that, looks to be one of those Safe-Pak cars that Roka did in HO. More interested in the N&W / DT&I logos appearing on the same car, if anyone knows the story there?

DT&I was not a road known for autoracks in spite of their traffic being heavily in the automobile industry.

[Mark5]

Here's a good synopsis from Jim Eager from the MFCL

 In 1973 Ford, Whitehead & Kales and the N&W, DT&I, SCL, L&N and UP
 cooperated to develop the Snap-Pak prototype trilevel with
 overlapping perforated sheet steel sides, N&W 400000.
 
 Jim Eager

[learmoia]

That was one of the prototypes for the first fully enclosed auto racks..

I believe it became the Safe-Pac Autorack used by:
UP (Yellow w/UP initials),
WP (BCR then UP Yellow w/WP initials),
ATSF (Red then Brown),
SSW (Brown)
CPAA (Brown then Red then Yellow),
CRR/SBD/CSXT (Yellow)
NW (Black then Brown) then NS (Brown)
As far as I know, DT&I didn't get any.

Edit:
Southern Pacific confirmed but it as a different design..

and I forgot two..
FEC (Yellow)
And Autoracks for Auto-Train that replaced the Ex CN Auto-Box cars were very very similar..
 

DT&I was not a road known for autoracks in spite of their traffic being heavily in the automobile industry.

They did have a handfull.. Yellow with the "DT&I" bold lettering on a pannel.

Several other roads that you wouldn't expect had fully enclosed autoracks
Boston and Maine/Guilford
Illinois Central
Susquehanna
RF&P
Rock Island
Milwaukee
Seaboard
SCL
Plus a few others.. Edit..
Clinchfield
KCS
L&N
CE&I

Maybe more well known..
MKT
Frisco
Missouri Pacific

~Ian

[lock4244]

Nice reach-back for that quote! I appreciate that little tidbit... quite literally the first purpose built enclosed autorack.

[lock4244]

That was one of the prototypes for the first fully enclosed auto racks..

I believe it became the Safe-Pac Autorack used by:
UP (Yellow w/UP initials),
WP (BCR then UP Yellow w/WP initials),
ATSF (Red then Brown),
SSW (Brown)
CPAA (Brown then Red then Yellow),
CRR/SBD/CSXT (Yellow)
NW (Black then Brown) then NS (Brown)
As far as I know, DT&I didn't get any.

Edit:
Southern Pacific confirmed but it as a different design..

and I forgot two..
FEC (Yellow)
And Autoracks for Auto-Train that replaced the Ex CN Auto-Box cars were very very similar..
 

They did have a handfull.. Yellow with the "DT&I" bold lettering on a pannel.

Several other roads that you wouldn't expect had fully enclosed autoracks
Boston and Maine/Guilford
Illinois Central
Susquehanna
RF&P
Rock Island
Milwaukee
Seaboard
SCL
Plus a few others.. Edit..
Clinchfield
KCS
L&N
CE&I

Maybe more well known..
MKT
Frisco
Missouri Pacific

~Ian

Given pool arrangements and routings, it's not totally surprising that many roads not directly serving assembly plants contributed to pools for finished autos. CRR seems the most odd of the roads you've noted... no major cities served, just coal country.

I've only ever seen one shot of a DT&I autorack... ETTX 852394.

[learmoia]

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[Mark5]

As far as the DT&I logo on the NW car - my speculation is that as one of the contributing "partners" to this prototype, they agreed to contribute on the condition that the DT&I logo be on the car.

I am guessing this arrangement is somewhat similar to ACFX 101 (the FORD "stampings" AC&F 86' Hi-Cube prototype) which had multiple logos.

Pure speculation. 

Mark

[lock4244]

As far as the DT&I logo on the NW car - my speculation is that as one of the contributing "partners" to this prototype, they agreed to contribute on the condition that the DT&I logo be on the car.

I am guessing this arrangement is somewhat similar to ACFX 101 (the FORD "stampings" AC&F 86' Hi-Cube prototype) which had multiple logos.

Pure speculation. 

Mark

Seems logical. And both roads were pretty heavily involved in the automotive trade relative to the others roads involved in the prototype.

[lock4244]

(Attachment Link)

So unicorns are real... thanks for providing Clinchfield pic, such an odd road to have racks in a pool.

And thanks for those additional DT&I pics! Any idea how many of these existed and what the number series was?

[learmoia]

So unicorns are real... thanks for providing Clinchfield pic, such an odd road to have racks in a pool.

And thanks for those additional DT&I pics! Any idea how many of these existed and what the number series was?

Here is one of the other Partnership Test Cars..  The Railpac


I believe Chessie was the major buyer on those.. (Maybe GTW too)..

[lock4244]

Here is one of the other Partnership Test Cars..  The Railpac


I believe Chessie was the major buyer on those.. (Maybe GTW too)..

The PC logo gets me.