Type of freight car used to Transport automobile frames to Auto plants in 1970's

[ChessieFan]

  I don't know if This is the proper discussion group (N and Z scales) to inquire as My subject states.
 I am in the Process of constructing a automobile assembly plant on My layout circa 1975 to 1985.  In the process of researching the automobile industry i have obtain a lot of information on what type of freight cars, materials and associated plants that are required for the automobile industry.  The only item that I have found that has little information is the type of freight car used to transport automobile and or truck frames from the parts plant to final assembly plant during My Era (1975 t0 1985).
  What I have found are Automobile/truck frames transported Vertically in gondola cars, Era unknown.  Or truck frames stacked on top of each other in groups of five (5) on Eighty Nine (89) ft flat cars in 1990's and beyond.
  The Walther's published book "America's Driving Force" has a photo of Automobile frames being transported on a eighty nine (89) ft flat car with a Conrail engine, date of photo unknown.
Can someone or somebodies Help Me with this or at least point Me in the right direction to obtain this information.
Thank You,
ChessieFan

 

[pmpexpress]

Bearing Mineral Red paint with “Trailer Train” spelled out and a “TT” logo in the middle, equipped with tie down devices for loading automobile and truck frames, this Trailer Train FTTX 91209  64' 10" Flatcar with frames load photo is likely circa 1966 to the early 1970s.

Based upon the aforementioned information, it appears that Trailer Train 89’ 4” Flatcars (i.e., yellow, with "Trailer Train" spelled out and a separate black "TT" logo that was adopted in 1970 and superseded by yellow paint with black and white "TTX" logos in 1991) were used to transport automobile and truck frames in the 1975 to 1985 period that you are modeling.

[Missaberoad]

That's not a 89 foot flat.

Looking at my 01/1973 ORER FTTX 90531-92629 (only 30 cars in that series) were 64'10" outside length.

however the majority of the cars with FTTX reporting marks were 89'IL flats by that point. (>1300 cars vs 130 ~60' cars)


Here are some photos that fall intro your era.

1978
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/fttx900574cba.jpg
1979
https://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=48621
1985
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/fttx900622ams.jpg
1988
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/fttx340456amh.jpg
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/fttx604555amh.jpg

A good question is when did the practice of shipping frames in gondolas end? interested how late this lasted.

[Mark5]

Apart from Trailer Train, other roads also shipped frames on their own flat cars.

Reading 9607: https://3dcentraltrains.com/cdn/shop/files/F-491.3_9cb00d39-5163-4b85-a840-6973b0bf79f3.webp?v=1750094457&width=1500

I have a pic of a similar car - CNJ 350 with a similar load.

CP 570105: https://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp570105&o=cprail

[pmpexpress]

That's not a 89 foot flat.

Looking at my 01/1973 ORER FTTX 90531-92629 (only 30 cars in that series) were 64'10" outside length.

Given that I really need to procure some out of print Official Railway Equipment Registers, have updated my post to reflect the information that you kindly provided.

[ChessieFan]

I want to say "Thank You" to everybody who has responded to My inquiry.   Now on to purchasing the freight cars.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If you want to see where they can't from, along with come crews hot rodding around an industrial plant: