Center Beam Flat Cars - first hit the rails in 19XX?

[Mark5]

I'm thinking late 70s early 80s - anyone know for sure?

Mark

[wcfn100]

There were flat cars with bulkheads and 'A' frames down the center of the car for the handling of packaged lumber by 1967.

edit: the CGW had an experimental car as early as '62.

Jason

[wazzou]

The Northern Pacific had Centerbeam Flatcars in 1966 I think, but my memory of the date is vague.  I can be more definitive when I review the article at home.

It has already been pointed out below that they were in fact built in 1969.  Thanks.

[Mark5]

Cool - thanks.

Using Wazz's tip I found this:

http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=39535

I've always liked these cars and have been trying to rationalize having one in 1974.

Mark

[Packer]

Cool - thanks.

If ya find info on the ones available in N I'd appreciate that too. ;D

MT 60' Thrall (opera and I-beam )
RC 73' (opera and truss)

IIRC, the 72' and 73' were made in the late 80s. Dunno about the 60'

The Northern Pacific had Centerbeam Flatcars in 1966 I think, but my memory of the date is vague.  I can be more definitive when I review the article at home.

I found a diagram of one of those.


http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=39535

I might try to scratch-build a few in HO if I can figure out the size of the hexagonal cut-outs. Don't think there is a car with the right ends.

[Robbman]

MFCL is your friend...

"Ryan pouted:

>Hmmm, guys.. I'm a 1970s modeler, we don't have ANY centerbeams.


Actually, you do have a few. The original design came from Canadian
National, circa 1969, and the first cars were built by Thrall for NP/BN.
Only about ten if memory serves. They were 60-footers with hexagonal
openings in the center girder. Thrall also built some considerably longer
versions for the SCL around 1972 for hauling prefab steel roof trusses,
like those used in big industrial warehouses.

The NP/BNs later went to NOKL (Northwestern Oklahoma) and the SCLs went to
NS and the Georgia Northeastern (GNRR). I saw a GNRR a couple of months
ago in service. Haven't seen an NOKL in several years, but I used a photo
of one to lead off my centerbeam article in RMJ back around 1995.

Obviously, their rarity means it was unlikely you'd have seen one in the
'70s, unless you model BN or SCL.

And the first of the opera window conterbeams were built around 1978 for
BN, MILW and WP. Again, these are 60-footers and are the prototypes for
the Micro-Trains and Front Range 60-foot beams. 73-foot opera window beams
came in the mid '80s, and truss beams in the late '80s. So yes, an
NSC/Trinity truss beam is a "Nineties" car. We ('90s modelers) still need
one.

Scott Chatfield"

[Mark5]

Ahh, good stuff. So to even try to run one I'd have to foob up the MT opera style for BN and pretend that it shipped east.

[Mark5]

I'm guessing this Concor thing is a total foob - just a bulkhead with a center thing?

[wazzou]

I'm guessing this Concor thing is a total foob - just a bulkhead with a center thing?

Actually, I always thought that too, but that Center Beam could be removed from that car and the resulting bulkhead in that style did exist.  I have seen photos.  I almost want to say that the GN had similarly crafted bulkhead flats.

[sirenwerks]

The GN had cars like that starting in '66 , but that bulkhead could use some serious toning down to better mimic the prototype.

[cv_acr]

Actually, you do have a few. The original design came from Canadian
National, circa 1969, and the first cars were built by Thrall for NP/BN.
Only about ten if memory serves. They were 60-footers with hexagonal
openings in the center girder. Thrall also built some considerably longer
versions for the SCL around 1972 for hauling prefab steel roof trusses,
like those used in big industrial warehouses.

http://freight.railfan.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=scl109024&o=scl

[ai5629]

I remember seeing a "modern" centerbeam flatcar for the first time in 1986.  It was on the Fort Wayne Line on the Fort Wayne Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh.  There was a guy at the local HO club my dad belonged to who modeled BN, and my dad photographed it for him.  We gave him a copy of the photo, and he didn't even say thank you.  What a jerk.  Hope this helps. 

[BN1970]

From Mainline Magazine, May 1983, page19:

• In 1963 CN developed a 66 foot car.
• Thrall Car Company acquired the design patents from CN about 1966.
• The 1st carrier to show interest was NP which leased 8 cars for test loading in 1968.
• In 1977 BN, UP & Milw ordered 365 cars.  BN - 190; UP - 75; Milw - 100 cars.
• These cars were reduced in length to 60' 8" between bulkheads or 64' 2" long....

Brian