Southern Pacific Lines

Coast Line Division 

“The Route of the Octopus”

 
 

Flats vs TOFC vs Clejan Flats

  1. Piggyback and TOFC refer to basically the same thing, Trailers On Flat Cars. Intermodal would be a more generic term covering COFC or Container on Flat Car as well. Clejan flats were a very specialized type of flat car built in the late 1950's and early 1960's that tried to speed up the loading/unloading process. At the time, TOFC flats were backed down a series of flats one at a time circus style, which was very time and labor intensive. The Clejan flats were basically skeleton flats with small rails built into the center sill. Small metal wheels on the special trailers could move down the series of flats without having to be backed by a truck tractor. This meant that only the specially equipped Clejan trailers could be used with the Clejan flats. It was a good idea, but it did not prove effective in practice. The flats were later stretched and repurposed with the addition of auto racks. Tony Thompson's SP Freight Cars, Vol III is a fantastic resource for all of your questions regarding early SP intermodal operations:

  2.                                                                             http://www.signaturepress.com/SPF3.html


PMT/SPT/SWT Timeline

  1. Here are some notes from various news and feature items on SP's early piggyback operations in various issues of Railway Age, Tony Thompson’s 3-part Trainline article on PMT, and other sources.


  3. 1953 -- The original SP piggyback service began in 1953 on both the T&NO and Pacific Lines. SP begins piggyback operations carrying lcl / ltl freight in SPT and PMT red and orange trailers until 1962. The vans were on converted 40ft & 52ft flats, and soon after added full truck-load service. T&NO Houston-Lake Charles, LA service started first in May, then Los Angeles-San Francisco in California in July, with traffic handled by the Overnight trains at first, then by Advance Overnight solid tofc trains. Los Angels-Phoenix service added later.


  5. 1954 -- Service extended to Houston-Dallas/Fort Worth, Nevada, plus Idaho, Utah, Wyoming interline via UP; SSW begins trailer-load service in Sept using converted flats and SWT trailers.


  7. Texas lines did operate Daylight trailers yes, there was a variant Daylight scheme used, and it wasn't called PMT, it was SPT.

  8. Tony Thompson 


  10. 1955 -- Service extended to Ukia & Portland, OR, and to Seattle, WA via NP; some interline traffic with SSW, GN, NP; SP moves 37,736 trailers in first 9 months. PMT orders first 35ft vans. Piggyback pool eventually includes ordinary dry and insulated vans, mech reefers, some with meat rails, open-tops, and flatbeds with and without removable sides; trailers built by American, Brown, Fruehauf, Hobbs, Lufkin, Strick, Trailmobile and Utility, among others. PMT uses a trailer hitch system without a kingpin, which inhibits interchange of equipment; uses stanchions and tie-downs on flat cars; never adopts ACF's Model A collapsable hitch, which requires a trailer kingpin.


  12. 1957 -- SP puts first F-50-17 79ft Clejan tofc flat in service; Clejan system offered efficient loading and unloading but was incompatible with most connecting railroads and shipper and common carrier trucks without laborious modifications to each trailer; tests containers on Clejan cars. SP participates in two of the first trascontinental interline tofc movements: a printing press shipped from Hoboken to Santa Anna via DL&W-NKP-SSW-T&NO-SP, and a pharmaceutical shipment via DL&W-NKP-SSW-T&NO-SP; begins common- carrier service between Los Angeles-San Francisco-Portland with three western common carrier truck lines. [Which ones is not specified.]


  14. 1958 -- SP orders F-70-14 85ft Clejan flats from GATC; establishes interline service to Seattle and Tacoma via NP [redundant report?], and Chicago-Oakland via RI-D&RGW for common carrier Plan I traffic of Consolidated Freightways, which sparks court challenge by Teamsters union; tests auto carrier trailers in TOFC service in conjunction with GM.


  16. 1959 -- SSW & PFE get conventional 85ft ACF pig flats with ACF hitches; SSW joins Trailer Train; regular TOFC shipment of new automobiles using semi-trailer auto carriers begun by SP and numerous other railroads


  18. 1960 -- SP puts first dual conventional and Clejan-capable 85ft G85s in service; SP joins Trailer Train, begins handling conventional interline tofc traffic from connecting roads


  20. 1965-66 -- Trailing Z added to unit reporting marks (PMT/SPT/SWT to PMTZ/SPTZ/SWTZ) and existing piggyback trailers are renumbered to comply with the AAR 6-digit number system; required two digit length/ type prefix added to existing unit number at first, until fleet can be completely renumbered. Begins using SPLZ reporting mark for non- PMT/SPT trailers leased specifically for piggyback service, and RSPL for vans leased from REA Leasing (Realco)


  22. 1970 -- Last new PMTZ, SPTZ, SWTZ marked piggyback trailers added to Equipment Registers; all subsequent additions marked SPLZ, RSPZ or XSPZ (leased from Xtra Inc.)

  23. Jim Eager



TOFC

TOFC Consists

  1. There is at least one such picture in Tom Dill's book on the SP in Oregon showing a short overnight style train with a box car or two and some TOFC flats. There’s pictures of long strings of SP overnight box cars and TOFC flats loaded with SP trailers, yet have seen none of the two in the same train.


  3. There are a number of photos of same. There is a color one on page 27 of Signor's and my Coast Line Pictorial book.

  4. Tony Thompson


Modeling TOFC

Wood Decks For TOFC

  1. Wholesale Pricing/FREE Shipping. Laser cut wood decks for HO scale flatcars. The decks are sold in 4 packs.

  2.       Athearn 40' flat 4 pack   $9.95

  3. Athearn 50' flat 4 pack   $9.95

  4. ERTL flatcar 4 pack   $9.95

  5. MDC bulkhead flat 4 pack $11.95

  6. MDC 60' flatcar 4 pack $10.95

85' TOFC Couplers

  1. Both flat and the tri- level autoracks. Remove the factory coupler "tongue" and screw mounted a complete draft box and #5 coupler by Kadee. The screw was left loose enough for the draft box and coupler to swing free, but not floppy loose. Just so it can swig when the car is held up edgewise. To return the coupler system to the center position for coupling use a piece of fine music wire, bent to lay flat against the bottom of the car on one then and the up and along side of the draft box on the other. This was anchored in place with 5 min epoxy with the draft box off. After the epoxy is set (10 min or so) reinstall the draft box. The spring will return the coupler and draft box to the center position when uncoupled, but will allow it to turn the tighter corners.


  3. The tightest radius is about 20" for a full 180º and there is no problem uncoupling. Be sure the couplers are set at the exact same and proper height especially if you are running up/down grades. The problem with these cars is not that the coupler needs to swing but that they are too light. A-line make a special weight/couple box just for the 86' flatcar. This fixes the weight problem so you can run these cars empty if you want. Walther's make a better type of swing coupler for there long cars and this is available separately. If you have fairly broad curves (30") you can permanently mount the couplers in KD boxes. Use 30 series couplers as they swing further in there boxes. You may be able to mount the Sargeant couplers in this box. No need to have them swing at all. The vast majority of the cars you buy are to light out of the box. If you use the NMRA standards they are heavier than necessary and put extra load on the locos that could be used for more cars.


  5. The swing is preferable because of the looks of the long shank coupler between the cars. It places the cars to far apart. The further the coupling point from the center line of the front truck the greater the chance of unwanted uncoupling. Kadee probably has the best coupler and draft box for the money. One brand in 4 or 5 styles cover everything.


  7. Depending on the builder of the car there are several ways to conceal weight to get it up to where it stays on the rails. Changing over to metal wheel sets also helps a lot, not only in tracking but free rolling.


Paint

TOFC Decks

  1. Use brown and black shoe dye diluted with a bit of alcohol to stain wood decks. Try brushing and rebrushing to get variables among the planks. On wood it also helped to scrape or rough sand the deck to get a very used and splintered appearance. Spiking holes also were not unusual. If using on plastic rather than wood, first paint the plastic with a yellow or tan flat color (Floquil) then used the dye. Don't forget that spills were common and left additional stains.


  3. If you want to lighten it up a bit, try just lightening the Model Master's Armor Sand base color.


  5. Many years back the decking on the flat cars was fairly light in color, lighter than the Red Caboose decking is. There were of course stains and marks on the decking. The surface was quite beat up, nicks, splinters etc. but the decking was so thick that it looked quite solid with just a messed up surface.


  7. Clyde King discussing the topic of deck color, recalls these flatcars in the 1950s, and said the wood decks were pretty heavily treated with creosote, thus rendering them a dark almost black color, something they kept for a pretty long time. Go with a dark brown color and add touch of black for your time period. It's doubtful the decks faded to a medium gray we often associate with more modern (i.e. 1970s) decks on bulkhead flatcars etc. Photos from T. Thompson's book SP Freight Cars Volume #3 should help.


  9. This Bob Dengler photo of an F-70-7 from 1981, near the end of the car's service life, still shows the deck to be a relatively dark color given the years of exposure:      http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/photos/sp/sp560877.jpg


  11. Photographs at the Portola RR Museum of a very old flat car deck show no brown left, and it is about a medium gray overall. Individual boards vary from a medium-light gray to fairly dark in some areas. This deck has probably been exposed to the elements for 30+ years, so there would be a lot of sun bleaching that's taken a toll. If the deck was creosoted, it would have been considerably warmer in color "back in the day", and it would have been pretty dark.

  12.     Look for the Espee file named                FlatDeck_0991.jpg.


  14. One good place to look today are large flatbed trailers, which often have wood decks, although probably no creosote.


  16. See an uploaded file that shows what you can do with simple paint colors (Floquil) and india ink washes, plus a little bit of sandpaper. The top 2 are P2K grey plastic gondola floors, the short one is a Sunshine grey resin flat car deck, and the bottom three are red P2K gondola floors. There also is some black and brown dry paint pigment added to several of them.


  18. For brand new light colored wood, mix yellow and white. To add highlights, put a thinned red or black paint on a stiff brush and "flick" the bristles to put tiny drops on the wood. Then wipe that with a finger. A wash of very thin India ink can bring out detail without making the boards look dark.   


Lettering & Numbers

Decals

  1. There aren’t any decals specifically for SP TOFC flats, but you can start with lettering for SP autoracks and add data as needed from other sets. The original Clejan lettering is not especially complicated but you'll need a small white "Trailer-Flatcar Service" logo and no one makes that.

  2. Tim O'Connor


  4. For good broadside shots of Clejan cars to indicate what to put where, see published photos that are angled or just partials. Photos in Volume 3 do show where all the lettering goes.

  5. Tony Thompson

Microscale

    #87-1374 SP/SSW trailers and TOFC flats

Reference

  1. See 2 trailers on a flat car at the start and middle:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-5FglU7jY

  2. Brian Moore


  4.                         

Specific 50-ton Piggyback Flat Cars

F-50-16

  1. T&NO #24650-24749   


  3. Blt 1949 by AC&F, modified 1953-54

  4. 41’ long

Reference

  1.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-50-17  [Clejan]

  1. SP #510500-510649   


  3. 150 built by SPE in 1957    

  4. 79’ 6” long

  5. - stretched to 85 ft & autoracks applied <1962

  6. - stretched to 89 ft & autoracks applied >1962

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-50-18  [Clejan]

  1. SP #511050-511099     


  3. 50 built by GACC in 1959        

  4. 85’ 0” long

  5. - autoracks applied <1962

  6. - stretched to 89 ft & autoracks applied >1962

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278

  2. 2 TOFC flats from Ron Hawkin's collection     http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=48172

  3.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-50-19  [Clejan]

  1. SP #511300-511321


Blt 1960 by GATC

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29



Specific 70-ton Piggyback Flat Cars

F-70-6

  1. T&NO #24550-24649   


  3. Blt 1948 by AC&F, modified 1953-54

  4. 53’ long

Reference

  1.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-70- 7 TOFC Version Flat Car

  1. SP #140500-142549


  1. Blt. 1949-50 by AC&F, modified 1953

  2. Rivited


  1. Although SP initiated piggyback service in 1953 with converted F-70-7 cars. By mid-1955, F-70-7 cars went back to general service as soon as the F-70-10 welded cars came along when they soon decided the all-welded F-70-10 was better for that job. The converted TOFC fleet was 100% F-70-10 cars. And in mid-1957, of course, the Clejan cars began to be delivered, which were intended to replace, and soon did replace, the converted 53' 6" cars.

  2. Tony Thompson 

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg 246, 280-285

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29

Modeling F-70-7

Red Caboose

  1. The Red Caboose HO version of the real early TOFC flat based on their F-70-7 53' 6" car will be accurate.


F-70-10 TOFC Version Flat Car

  1. SP #142550-143549


  1. These 89' TOFC were modified 53’ long flat cars to accommodate truck trailers in 1953.


  1. By mid-1955, the piggyback fleet was all F-70-10. The car number for a STANDARD F-70-10 is series 562855-563854. The converted F-70-10's were series 510000-510472, and lasted at least until 1963. (All were reverted from TOFC service before 1965.) SP had no 75-ft. flats, at least not before 1965.

  2. Tony Thompson


  4. Classes F-70-10 and -12 were similar with welded construction, thus no rivets.


  6. Used on Coast Merchandise #373 & 373, LA-SF. Handled by GS type 4-8-4 locos. Diesels (F-7 type) replaced steam about 1955. Used on hot piggyback trains like Southern Pacific's BRLAT/LABRT (Brooklyn - Los Angeles Trailers)!


  8. According to Lee A. Gautreaux's great freight car page, SP 900780-900874 Flat Cars " were rebuilt from various classes for TOFC/COFC service. With the Clejan cars, converted TOFC F-70-10 were returned to general service.


  10. TOFC-only 89' Bethlehem cars existed on the SP, in the minority. SP intermodal trains weren't predominantly SP flats, so while one or two of these TOFC-only Bethlehem cars (in SP paint) may be justified in a train, it's a stretch.


  12. In doubt is the early autoracks with container pedestals. If these cars were rebuilt for Intermodal use (say, because the racks weren't quite compatible with standard protector panel designs?), they would probably not have received container pedestals, but the installation of a trailer hitch isn't unreasonable. That might explain the history of this car, and perhaps a few others like it.

  13.                                              http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=15079

  14. Here's a good shot showing the container pedestals of the All Purpose car:

  15.                                              http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=2571


  17. That deck looks pretty smooth (and black). It had cushioned hitches.

Paint

  1. Boxcar red paint.

Paint Color for TOFC Converted F-70-10 Flat Cars

  1. SP Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment by Thompson published by Morning Sun, appears to have a picture of the flat car on page 78 which looks black in color. The color of this flat car was while it was TOFC service was boxcar red. The other (F-70-7) cars were also BCR. The original transparencies for page 78 were quite seriously color-shifted. Whether or not one is happy with Morning Sun making somewhat arbitrary decisions about shifting them "back," the real point is don’t trust those images for specific color.

  2. Tony Thompson

Deck

  1. That deck looks black.

Hitches

  1. SP pig flats had orange hitches.

Lettering & Numbering

  1. Photos of the 89' TOFC-only flat show KCS reporting marks, and "Two 45" lettering with "Cushion Car" in very faded yellow.

Reference

  1.                                                                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 246, 286, 290, 296

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29

Modeling SP Black 89’ Flat Cars

Accurail

  1. Accurail's 89' flat car is too wide and the rub rails on deck's center suck, thus making the car little more than a POS.

Athearn

  1. The SP flat is close to Athearn's model. Athearn makes two models. SP #513132 from 1992, assigned to steel hauling service (AAR class FMS). This car has some resemblance to the Athearn PS-4PB but there are enough small differences to indicate a different model, or builder. Still, the Athearn PS model is the best available "stand-in" for these cars.


  3. The model Athearn called "all purpose" (ie vans and containers). Athearn painted this model black with gray tire tread strips. Athearn's "all purpose" flat car is a cut-down ACF ASH-10A (the prototype is an 89 foot car) first built in 1968. You can either lengthen it, or save yourself the work and use the Accurail model.

  4.                                         


  6. Concerning the Athearn flat cars; neither the trailers nor the flatcar are accurate representations of anything the SP ever owned. The Athearn number is for a Standard F-70-10 welded flat car that also doesn't look much like the prototype.

Atlas

  1. Atlas also has a series of 89' flat cars coming. According to Jim Eager on the Modern Freight Cars List, it'll be a slightly different model than Walthers'.


  3. Atlas will release several versions of their car with their forthcoming 89' flat car, featuring different deck configurations. Best to wait for an 89' All purpose flat, such as the one Atlas has promised.

Walther’s

  1. Walthers has announced a Bethlehem 89 foot flush deck (TOFC only) flat car. Walthers will release several versions of their car with their forthcoming 89' flat car, featuring different deck configurations. These had the end-mounted "circus ramps" on them. There might be an SP prototype for the Walthers car after all. This will be only the third accurate HO scale "long flat", the others being the 75 foot F39 from Walthers, and the Athearn F85B. The others are defective in some respect or another. (Almost 12" too wide for the Accurail flats and auto racks, and the Walthers channel side TOFC flats.) But the Bethlehem flat is only good for the mid 1970's forward and SP didn't own any flush deck versions. (SP's had container pedestals.)


  3. The hitches don't look like anything included in the Walther’s kit, but painted black, covered by a trailer, not sure anyone would notice.The Walther's model includes cushioned hitches. Paging through Walther's site, none of the diagrams of Details West hitches look similar.

  4. You’ll have to "cut" the tire rails to clear the landing gear. The car retains the bridge plates, although with the cut tire rails, the car is pretty much unsuitable for circus (un) loading. Driving a trailer off would risk damaging the tire sidewall on the edges of the tire rail.


  6. There are plenty of other cars for SP Pig Trains that can be done from the Walthers 89' TOFC-only Bethlehem flat car.

Lettering & Numbering

  1. Walthers 89' flats decorated for SP with the "Twin 45" markings. The SP pig flats with the "Twin 45" marking were similar to Walthers but with a  different lettering style.

Modeling F-70-10

  1.     Modeling Flat Cars  Smaus      (*see RMC 2/95, pg. 92)

  2.     How to loads for tractors.


F-70-17 Piggyback

  1. SP #513000-513049    steel deck   1964:  99


  3. The earliest SP racks were soon joined by AC&F-built F-70-17 cars, 85 feet long. This class was built in 1960, and though not originally intended for racks (built as piggyback cars), they got converted a few years later.

  4. Tony Thompson  


  6. According to SSW spec sheets, #82800-82814 were built by ACF in 1959 and were equipped with ACF retractable trailer hitches. #82850-82884 were built by Bethlehem Steel in Aug. 1961. Auto racks were installed in Oct., 1961 and were removed in Oct. and Nov., 1963 with ACF retractable trailer hitches then being installed.


  8. Many of these SP cars were leased to PFE and remarked as PFF at some point. PFE did have their own flats.


  10. The timeframe for the "sighting" would probably been late 70s - early 80s. Standard SP TOFC flats could (and did) carry trailers with reefers. BIG cuts of Bud TOFC trailers moving on the Coast Line in the 70's. They came down from Salinas.


  12. SP owned cars like this (flush deck style) but none of them was ever painted black. They are listed as equipped with "bi-level loaders" in 1963, but they are listed in the Dec 1964 SP Freight Car Spec #15 as being in piggyback service. And they are shown in the Jan 1965 ORER as class FC, equipped with ACF hitches for trailer service, with a symbol indicating an "increase". Sometime in 1964 they lost their racks. The 1972 ORER shows 33 of 35 still with ACF hitches in TOFC service.


  14. All of these cars were 85'0" inside length, 10'2" inside width, and 3'6" deck height above rail. These dimensions are different than all other SP piggyback flats in 1964, so they may all have had the same builder.


  16. The only SP/SSW 85 foot flat cars with no definite builder information are:

  17.     SP   series 513000-513050  wood deck   1964:  44

Tie Down Facilities

  1. 53’ flats series #142550-143549 were equipped with permanent tie down facilities for han-highway semitrailers.

Paint

  1. Trailer/Flat/56 aluminum

Lettering & Numbering

  1. black lettering; S & P Daylight Red

Reference

  1.                                                                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 298, 308, 310

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29

Modeling F-70-17

Lettering & Numbering

Decals   

Champs  

  1. SHS-144 beet gondola or GS; can use on flat cars.


F-70-18

  1. SP #512100-512149

  2. SP #513181-513230  Renumbered  1956


  4. The earliest SP open auto racks were on F-70-14, -15 and -18 cars, and these were GATC cars, 85 feet long. They were soon joined by AC&F-built F-70-17 cars, also 85 feet long. All these classes were built in 1960, and though not originally intended for racks (built as piggyback cars), they got converted a few years later.

  5. Tony Thompson  

Lettering & Numbering

Renumbering

  1. The F-70-18 class is found in SP Freight Cars, Vol. 3. The tables 13-1 and 13-2 refer to rebuilding and renumbering of these cars. Table 13-1 is correct for original numbers: 512100-512149, 50 cars. This is the class delivered by GATC as C-85 cars. All were rebuilt in 1962 to G-5 configuration and renumbered as shown. There is a typo. In both cases should read #512100-512149. 

  2. Tony Thompson

Reference

  1.                                                                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 296, 300, 318

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-70-21 Piggyback Flat Cars

  1. SP #513051-513150   renumbered (#142550-143549)      steel deck   1964:  99


  3. Long 89’ flat cars appeared 1959. These were modified 53’ long flat cars to accommodate truck trailers in 1953.


  5. Used on Coast Merchandise #373 & 373, LA-SF. Handled by GS type 4-8-4 locos. Diesels (F-7 type) replaced steam about 1955.


  7. According to SSW spec sheets, #82800-82814 were built by ACF in 1959 and were equipped with ACF retractable trailer hitches. #82850-82884 were built by Bethlehem Steel in Aug. 1961. Auto racks were installed in Oct., 1961 and were removed in Oct. and Nov., 1963 with ACF retractable trailer hitches then being installed.


  9. Many of these SP cars were leased to PFE and remarked as PFF at some point. PFE did have their own flats. The SP 513108 is an F-70-21, former auto rack, sent to PFE at some point, then back to SP for TOFC. It is an 85' Bethlehem car:

  10.                                                                             http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/flat/f070-21.htm


  12. The timeframe for the "sighting" would probably been late 70s - early 80s. Standard SP TOFC flats could (and did) carry trailers with reefers. BIG cuts of Bud TOFC trailers moving on the Coast Line in the 70's. They came down from Salinas.


  14. SP owned cars like this (flush deck style) but none of them was ever painted black. They are listed as equipped with "bi-level loaders" in 1963, but they are listed in the Dec 1964 SP Freight Car Spec #15 as being in piggyback service. And they are shown in the Jan 1965 ORER as class FC, equipped with ACF hitches for trailer service, with a symbol indicating an "increase". Sometime in 1964 they lost their racks. The 1972 ORER shows 33 of 35 still with ACF hitches in TOFC service.


  16. All of these cars were 85'0" inside length, 10'2" inside width, and 3'6" deck height above rail. These dimensions are different than all other SP piggyback flats in 1964, so they may all have had the same builder. #513132 is similar in appearance (but not identical) to the Pullman Standard PS-4PB.


  18. The only SP/SSW 85 foot flat cars with no definite builder information are:

  19.     SP   series 513051-513150  

Tie Down Facilities

  1. 53’ flats series #142550-143549) were equipped with permanent tie down facilities for han-highway semitrailers.

Paint

  1. Trailer/Flat/56 aluminum

Lettering & Numbering

  1. black lettering; S & P Daylight Red

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 296, 318

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29

Modeling F-70-21

Lettering & Numbering

Decals   

  1. Champs   SHS-144 beet gondola or GS; can use on flat cars.


F-70-22 Piggyback Flat Cars

  1. SP #512150-512249

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 318

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-70-23 Piggyback Flat Cars  Tri-Level Auto Rack

  1. SP #513151-513180    steel deck   1964:  30


  3. SP owned cars like this (flush deck style) but none of them was ever painted black. They are listed as equipped with "bi-level loaders" in 1963, but they are listed in the Dec 1964 SP Freight Car Spec #15 as being in piggyback service. And they are shown in the Jan 1965 ORER as class FC, equipped with ACF hitches for trailer service, with a symbol indicating an "increase". Sometime in 1964 they lost their racks. The 1972 ORER shows 33 of 35 still with ACF hitches in TOFC service.


  5. All of these cars were 85'0" inside length, 10'2" inside width, and 3'6" deck height above rail. These dimensions are different than all other SP piggyback flats in 1964, so they may all have had the same builder.


  7. The only SP/SSW 85 foot flat cars with no definite builder information are:

  8.     SP   series 513151-513180  

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 318

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-70-24 Piggyback Flat Cars

  1. SP #513500-513549

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 318

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-70-28 Piggyback Flat Cars

  1. SP #515000-515099

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 318


F-70-29 Piggyback Flat Cars

  1. SP #513550-513649

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 318



SP Clejan Flat Cars

  1. The Clejan flats were basically skeleton flats with small rails built into the center sill. Small metal wheels on the special trailers could move down the series of flats without having to be backed by a truck tractor. This meant that only the specially equipped Clejan trailers could be used with the Clejan flats.


  3. The center sill beams themselves served as the rails; there were no "small rails built in." The tractor moving the trailers over

  4. the consist had to have the same special wheels as the trailers, and didn't have to be a highway tractor, but there DID have to be a

  5. tractor of some kind. Actually, the Clejan idea worked fine, as long as SP (or any user) just handled their own trailers, which could all be equipped with the special wheels. The minute they opened up the service to commercial truckers, who naturally did not want to add the weight of the wheels to trailers which would by no means always ride on SP flat cars, the idea was effectively dead. SP had to provide flat cars which could accept conventional highway trailers.

  6. Tony Thompson


  8. It was a good idea, but it did not prove effective in practice. The flats were later stretched and repurposed with the addition of auto racks. By July 1963 all SP Clejan flat cars were converted to Auto-Pac service and lasted at least to 1975. At least one lasted as late as August 1995 in MofW service.


Paint

  1. The first SP Clejan flat cars (79 feet?) were delivered in black paint. There is a photo in the SP Color Guide Vol. 1 p.55 showing the tops of a number of black Clejan flats. Also p.50 has a view showing the cars were definitely black.


  1. There may have been some black cars of the kinds described, just no evidence- yet.

  2. Tony Thompson


F-50-17  Clejan Cars

  1. SP #510500-510649


  3. Blt. 1957 by GATC

  4. 79’ 6” long

Reference

  1.     See the following pages for info on the Clejan cars:

  2.                                     http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/flat/f050-17.htm

  3.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-50-18  Clejan Cars

  1. SP #511000-511099


  3. Blt. 1959 by GATC

  4. 85’ long

References

  1.     See the following pages for info on the Clejan cars:

  2.                                     http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/flat/f050-18.htm

  3.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-50-19  Clejan Cars

  1. SP #511300-511321

  2. SP #5110475-510479   ex- New Haven Clejan, 2nd hand


  4. Blt. 1960 by GATC

  5. 85’ long

References

  1.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-70-14

  1. SP #511100-511299


  1. The F-70-14 were built in two batches in 1960 by GATC. Were these really Clejans? They look like spine cars without the side railings, and the photos show them being loaded with containers. They may have been "dual-use" cars for both trailers and containers, but if so, they could not have been loaded circus-style (as the original Clejans were loaded), as they have what may be "pads" for trailer wheels like the contemporary spine cars, and if that's the case, would have had to be loaded with a piggypacker or equivalent.

  2. Tony Thompson

References

  1.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29

Modeling 89’ Clejan Flat Cars

Athearn

  1. Use SP Black 89 foot flats (like Athearn's) to model, a SP flat close to Athearn's model. The Athearn 85 foot car (kit #2000) is based on a Pullman Standard F85B first built in 1960.

Overland

  1. Imported brass models based on New Haven cars that were somewhat different in appearance. No plastic models are remotely similar. The only owners were D&RGW, Rock Island, Trailer Train, and North American. MDC and Athearn models have ever made an SP/SSW model that is right. Lots of them are not even close.



Auto Racks

General

  1. In the late 50's SP mostly transported new autos on truck trailers, 4 cars to a trailer, carried piggyback style on flat cars.


  3. Per Volume 3 on SP freight cars, the first SP auto rack was placed in service in 1959.

  4. Tony Thompson       


  6. There’s a photo of the first Tri-Level Auto Pak at it's official Inspection Event in 1958. Unfortunately it doesn't say where on the system it took place, but it’s assumed in California. The caboose in the photo was used on the Coast Route on the early Piggy Back service.


  8. A photo in 1959 shows the same Auto Pak taken at the GM assembly plant in LA


  10. Auto loads varied for the late 50's. Think Studebaker. Edsel. Corvair. Rambler. Falcon. (There’s a shot of a Rock Island trailer loaded with Studebakers.)


  12. Check out the mfcl archives, these cars have been discussed at great length. Jim Eager and others have compiled rosters of the prototypes for it.


Autoracks

  1. Some were Thrall Bi-level auto carrier cars.

Modeling Autoracks

  1. There have been numerous HO Scale kits on the market over the years for various 'flavors' of Autoracks. Autoracks are a very neglected area of modeling as a rule, at least in HO scale.

Accurail

  1. They have some two level open racks, but the build dates are in the 60's. Looking for something used in the late 50s. The Accurail model (besides being over 12" too wide) represents a late 1960's Paragon rack on a flush deck flat.

Overland

  1. They imported a few models of earlier tri-level and bilevel racks. gggvv  

Walther's

  1. The most common HO kit today, would be the Walther's kit of a Thrall Bi-level. This kit is easy to assemble, and with a bit of extra weight, works quite well in a train. The HO Scale Walther's autorack, needs the following additions: 33 inch metal wheels, and Kadee #5 couplers.

Scratcghbuild

  1. Early W&K racks would not be hard to scratch in styrene (simple structure, no screens, etc.).



F-50-?  Open Auto Racks

  1. SP #511000-511049  

  2.    

  3. 50  built by  GACC in 1959    

  4. 85’-0 long     

  5. autoracks applied <1962   

  6. stretched to 89 ft & autoracks applied >1962


F-50-17  Open Auto Racks

  1. SP #510500-510649   


  3. 150 built by SPE in 1957    

  4. 79’ 6” long

  5. stretched to 85 ft & autoracks applied <1962

   stretched to 89 ft & autoracks applied >1962

Drawing

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 306

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29


F-50-18  Open Auto Racks

  1. SP #511050-511099


  3. 50  built by  GACC in 1959    

  4. 85’-0 long     

  5. autoracks applied <1962   

  6. stretched to 89 ft & autoracks applied >1962

Reference

  1.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29



F-70-14  Open Auto Racks

  1. SP #511100-511199   100 built by GACC 1959     85’ 0”- autoracks applied ca.1962

  2.                                                                                                              - stretched to 89 ft & autoracks applied >1962

  3. SP #511200-511299    100 built by GACC 1960    85’ 0”  - autoracks applied ca.1962

  4.                                                                                                              - stretched to 89 ft & autoracks applied >1962


  6. The earliest SP racks were on F-70-14, -15 and -18 cars, and these were GATC cars, 85 feet long. As you can see in my Volume 3, SP freight cars, the first SP auto rack was placed in service in 1959. Though not originally intended for racks (built as piggyback cars), they got converted a few years later.

  7. Tony Thompson       


  9. A photo of the first Tri-Level Auto Pak at it's official Inspection Event in 1959 with the same Auto Pak taken at the GM assembly plant in LA. The caboose in the photo was used on the Coast Route on the early Piggy Back service.


  11. In the late 50's SP mostly transported new autos on truck trailers, 4 cars to a trailer, carried piggyback style on flat cars.

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 303, 312

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29

Modeling F-70-14    85’ Auto Racks

  1. There is no really close HO model, but the early W&K racks would not be hard to scratch in styrene (simple structure, no screens, etc.). The early SP racks sit on General American flats, for which there has never been a model in HO. Auto loads is another problem for the late 50's.

Accurail

  1. Accurail has some two level open racks, but the build dates are in the 60's. The model (over 12" too wide) represents a late 1960's Paragon rack on a flush deck flat. It is too wide to represent what it's supposed to represent it's actually the old custom rails flat car redetailed but still wrong. Many people remove material from the middle of the car to correct the problem but that's tough if you want more than one or two cars, unless you have a milling machine.

Athearn

  1. There is only one accurate early 85 ft flat in HO, Athearn's car, and those were first built in 1960 and didn't carry auto racks.

Overland

  1. Overland imported a few models of earlier tri-level and bi-level racks.

Revell

  1. The only good model of the trailers was made by Revell in the 1960's and now is extremely hard to find and very pricey -- like $25 and up for a kit.


F-70-15  Open Auto Racks

  1. SP #512000-512099  Whitehead & Bales Bi-Level Rack


  3. The earliest SP racks were on F-70-14, -15 and -18 cars, and these were GATC cars, 85 feet long. This class was built in 1960, and though not originally intended for racks (built as piggyback cars), they got converted a few years later.

  4. Tony Thompson   

Reference

  1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 314-315 

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29



F-70-18  Open Auto Racks

  1. SP #512100-512149

  2. SP #513181-513230  Renumbered  1956


  4. The earliest SP open auto racks were on F-70-14, -15 and -18 cars, and these were GATC cars, 85 feet long. They were soon joined by AC&F-built F-70-17 cars, also 85 feet long. All these classes were built in 1960, and though not originally intended for racks (built as piggyback cars), they got converted a few years later.

  5. Tony Thompson  

Lettering & Numbering

Renumbering

  1. The F-70-18 class is found in SP Freight Cars, Vol. 3. The tables 13-1 and 13-2 refer to rebuilding and renumbering of these cars. Table 13-1 is correct for original numbers: 512100-512149, 50 cars. This is the class delivered by GATC as C-85 cars. All were rebuilt in 1962 to G-5 configuration and renumbered as shown. There is a typo. In both cases should read #512100-512149. 

  2. Tony Thompson

Drawing

  1.                                                                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 306

Reference

  1.                                                                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Auto and Flat Cars, pg. 278, 296, 300, 318

  2.                                                                           Trainline, pg. 29




 
Southern Pacific Lines Modeling S.P. TOFC, Clejan & Auto Racks
Flats vs TOFC vs Clejan Timeline TOFC Modeling TOFC Paint TOFC 50-ton Piggyback Cars F-50-17 thru F-50-19 70-ton Piggyback Cars F-70-7, 10, 14, 15, 17, 18 F-70-21 thru F-70-24, 28, 29 Clejan Flat Cars F-70-14 Auto Racks General F-50-17 thru F-50-19 F-70-7, 10, 14, 15, 17, 18

Photo courtesy of Brian Moore