I was at the CN Gordon Yard in Moncton last month and saw 3 flat cars carrying CAT equipment, one excavator and one bulldozer per car. The idea then came to me to include a CAT dealership served by rail to my layout. However, as always, questions regarding the operations of this type of industry started to surface. I hope that this is not to "simple" of a question, but here we go... Since the above mentioned equipment are powered by tracks, how do they get on these cars without damaging the surface of the cars? J-Marc
I"m guessing here, but I think they just drive them on. The cars dont belong to the dealer so they probably dont really care if it damages the surface a bit. Also the damage is probably minimal if they are loaded from the ends.....Mike ------------------ Its only Money !!
Good point. If they load them from the end, there must be some platforms to help the machines "make the jump" on and off the flatcars. When I saw these cars and their loads, I was not close enough to notice all the details. Next time I'm down in Moncton I'll have to bring my binoculars. J-Marc
Not too long ago there was an article in MR (I think it was) with regards to John Deere tractors being delivered on flats. What they showed was a platform about the same length as the flat, that the car was pushed up to, such that it was flush, and the tractors were driven off (elephant style) onto this platform. The platform was located at the end of one of the "house" tracks. The platform also had a sloping ramp at one end. It looked really easy to build. Maybe in a single night. Good luck with your project! ------------------ ship SOO!
Hey, finally a good topic for me! First off, SOO is pretty much right; tracked vehicles are driven on and off on concrete ramps, much like what many manufacturers make for team tracks, or like the early piggyback ramps. As far as damage to the cars, the decks of the flats designated for this type of service are either steel, in which case the damage isn't really an issue (look at photos of TTX flats - a lot of them have steel decks) or else of very substantial wood which survives quite a lot of abuse. The cars used in this type of service are designed for it, as the tie down chains and turnbuckles used to secure the vehicles is an integral part of the car, usually riding in two channels in the center and/or two channels on the outsides of the cars. Also, while tracked vehicles are on the cars, a bare minimum of steering is required, with almost all of the movement being straight forward, which further reduces the wear and abuse the car suffers. Hope my ramblings from many years of loading tanks and other such heavy things on railcars helps. ------------------ Jenks - the REAL Big Blue
they are also loaded from the side of the car.there is a concrete wall built next to the track at the height of the top of a flatcar.and the ground is level with the top of the concrete flat cars are placed next to the wall (very very close clearance)and the tractors are just driven on.this way more then one can be loaded at a time and also it has no way of being backed through when spotting the flat cars. ------------------ ed pinkley home of the pinkley taurus [This message has been edited by ed pinkley (edited 25 September 2000).]
When my daughter worked for Cat, I watched them just drive the D-8's (big Bulldozers) up a ramp at the stub end of one of the house tracks, and along the several flat cars lined up. They kept coming until all cars were loaded. Now days the Cats have rubber tracks (like our toy wind up Cats did) and will load from end or side depending on the size of tractor. They load DW-20's and other big rubber tired machines from the end, except flat ramps are placed between flat cars to drive across, so the wheels wont fall between cars. Small equipment that is no longer than the width of a flat car, is loaded sideways, so more units can be loaded. Tricycle type tractors are sometimes loaded diagonally with every other one facing the opposit way to also conserve space. It was back in the steam days that the flat cars had wooden floors that you may be thinking of getting damaged. Even then, those floors were of hard oak wood, so could take a lot of abuse. The reason for wood at all, is so large (20 penny) nails could be sledge hammered into the floor to hold wheel chocks and support blocks and bracing. These loads can be quite colorful. I remember seeing the big 20 ton steam tractors on flat cars going through Wichita, Ks back in the 1930's. Man they were big! ------------------ Watash
My experience has been that a TANK , Bulldozer or other tracked vehicle will do minimal damage to the "flatcar" in question. They can haul 130 tons maybe more. (we routinely loaded two TANKS at 60 tons each and kept going.) The tie-down system is based on the chassis of the car. Those folks around Anniston AL., FT Knox., and some guy with more ARMORED experience than I do can explain it better. Don't forget to secure the turret with a couple of tie-downs just to make it look good. ------------------
