MAXI-1 Loading Rules

[ljudice]

These short 40' welled Maxi-I's ---   

I am assuming they use 40 footers in the wells - or two 20's   (are these restricted to the end wells??)

And up to a 45 on top.   48 and 53 seem to produce clearance problems, at least in the model. 

Thanks,
Lou

[JSL]

On the prototype Maxi 1 you can load a 40 o 57 footer in the top position.

[Hyperion]

You ain't gonna get a 57-footer on the top of any MAXI-I.  Not even close.  That would put the trailer over 3ft into the next unit.

But you should be able to fit the 48's on all platforms and 53s on the ends, but only if a 40' (maybe a 45') is adjacent to them.

I'll see if I can find anything published at BNSF on the actual rules, but those facilities are generally operated by outside contractors, so I'm not sure what I'll find.

Oh, and the two-20's are not restricted to the end wells; just to the bottom position.

EDIT:  Okay, found the BNSF Double Stack Loading Rules; and the one applicable specifically to MAXI-I cars.

5.12 - Double Stack 40-foot Well Car Top Position - Loading Restriction:
5.12.1 - When 53-ft containers are loaded on the top, the longest container loaded in the top position of the adjacent well of same car, must not exceed 45-feet.

So, in theory, you're not just limited to the ends, you could do:  53-45-53-45-53 or even 40-53-40-53-45 or countless other variations.

[GaryHinshaw]

Some examples:

- 40's on top, mostly 20s below (very common),
- 53 over 40 in a D well, sandwiched between 40s on top,
- 53 over 20s in a B well,
- 40 over 20 over 40 (very rare).

[nkalanaga]

"- 40 over 20 over 40 (very rare)."  I would think so.  First, because that would be a triple stack, and wouldn't fit under most bridges.  Second, because one cannot load 20s on top of a 40, as there's no center frame on the 40 to support the middle ends of the 20s.  There MUST be a frame, and inter-box connector castings, on the lower layer, for each one on the upper layer. 

That's why containers longer than 40' have "corner" castings at the 40' positions on the bottom, and why they're usually stacked on top of the 40' boxes.  Some longer containers have 40' castings on top as well, and may be able to support a 40' box, but I've never seen one stacked that way.

[GaryHinshaw]

Sorry N Kalanaga, it was just a joke, inspired by Lou's Layout Humor thread.  RE 40's over longer containers: it is possible, but not very common, probably because it requires a longer-than-40-foot well.  Some examples:

- 40 over 45,
- 40 over 53.

-Gary

[ljudice]

Thanks everyone - this is great info...

[JSL]

Sorry for the typo I meant 53, if you goggle Max 1 you get to the manufacture and they have a great diagram showing loading.

[Scottl]

Strangely, I saw a lot of 40' over 53' containers (over a dozen) on the one CP train I saw in BC last week.  I wondered about that.

[ljudice]

JSL - thanks for the tip!  Here's the link:


http://www.gbrx.com/files/files/NAR/Stack_Cars/StackCarsMaxiI.pdf

[ednadolski]

JSL - thanks for the tip!  Here's the link:


http://www.gbrx.com/files/files/NAR/Stack_Cars/StackCarsMaxiI.pdf

I like the "Curve Negotiability Radius" ... looks like uncoupled, it will do the equivalent of a 13.5" radius curve in N scale 

Ed

[bc6]

Thanks for posting the links guys, now I know of different ways to stack my Maxi's, I'd love to see the one below in real life lol.

[nkalanaga]

Gary:  Thank you for the pictures!  I notice that these, and I assume other, containers now have top castings at the 40' position.  Apparently someone finally decided it was worth the cost to stack them either way, or got tired of having people try it and damaging the roof of the longer box.

[rswinnerton]

Or you could do 40' on the bottom with twin 28' footers on top in their saddle. UPS and BN had some of these.

[ljudice]

I remember those 28 foot containers...  Weren't there 56' wells specifically built for them as well with 2x2 loading?