New railcar technology primer needed

[tom mann]

BLMAs 31k tankcar represents a new model that I'm unfamiliar with.  My question is: what are some other new prototype freight cars that have come out in the last, say, 10 years?

[Denver Road Doug]

Here is a good starting point.   From Dave Casdorph's website.
http://dgcasdor.ipower.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2000-2019a.pdf

Won't necessarily tell you if a particular car is brand new, but that data can be extrapolated. (there's also a 1990-1999 list I believe)

What I think...
-New(er) frac sand cars
-New(er) iteration of Ortner "porches" hopper
-New open-grid version of a Maxi-I stack car
-New 65ft Gons (the newer TTX style)
-Higher capacity 5161-style covered hopper
-New design 5-bay aluminum coal hopper
-A couple of new autorack designs
-Brand new carbon black covered hoppers

[Missaberoad]

Here's an interesting article from last year...
http://analystreports.som.yale.edu/reports/RailcarIndust_ZarkhZhang.pdf

Also the manufacturers websites are also a great source of info, they often have pictures/basic diagrams...

National Steel Car
https://www.steelcar.com/products

Greenbrier (former Gundersen)
http://www.gbrx.com/products-services/railcar-manufacturing/

Freightcar America (Former Johnstown America)
http://www.freightcaramerica.com/wordpress/index.php/manufacturing/

Trinity (took over Thrall in 2001)
https://www.trinityrail.com/listcategories.aspx

American Railcar Manufacturing (ACF)
http://www.americanrailcar.com/Manufacturing/CenterflowCars
http://www.americanrailcar.com/Manufacturing/PressureaideCars
http://www.americanrailcar.com/Manufacturing/ThrusillCars
http://www.americanrailcar.com/Manufacturing/AdditionalCarTypes
http://www.americanrailcar.com/Manufacturing/TankCars

Vertex
http://www.vertexrail.com/railcars/

My personal favorite is CN's new ore cars they're building to replace the DMIR fleet (which is 50-75 years old at this point).


Also these rock cars on the Dakota & Iowa are pretty unique.

[lock4244]

These are interesting...

[C855B]

...
Vertex
http://www.vertexrail.com/railcars/
...

They promote their "speed of delivery". Yet there's not a picture I can find anywhere on their site of their cars - just CAD renderings. So I take it they're making cars on Shapeways?

 

(Also, the stylish photo at the top their home page is of old equipment with solid bearings. Not a good message overall.)

[tom mann]

This is good stuff guys.  Thanks for pulling it all together.