Two days ago there was the question of why tractor loads had to be for
six tractors on a 50' car. While I am sure the tariff made this the most
cost effective option, could tractors be shipped in smaller lots (4) on a
40' car? Or would lesser quantities of equipment still be shipped in
auto cars?

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

Michael,

You wrote:

Two days ago there was the question of why tractor loads had to be for
six tractors on a 50' car. While I am sure the tariff made this the
most
cost effective option, could tractors be shipped in smaller lots (4)
on a
40' car? Or would lesser quantities of equipment still be shipped in
auto cars?

Refer to page 90 of the April 2002 CRAFTSMAN for a Philip Hastings'
April 1952 photo of three tractors on a 40 footer. The March 2002 RMC
issue has another photo of this car on the B&M's Bradford NH Turn on the
Concord & Claremont Branch.

In January 1952, the President of International Harvester complained in
a speech before a Chicago Traffic Group about a terrific general service
flat car shortage. This shortage caused Harvester to use other transport
means including more costly shipping by trucks. He did not mention
shipping in automobile cars (or any other box with wide enough doors),
nor were gons mentioned - gons would be OK providing there was a lift
capability at both ends of the trip.

Hope this helps, Tim Gilbert

Tim said, concerning loading tractors:

nor were gons mentioned - gons would be OK providing there was a
lift capability at both ends of the trip.

Drop ends might be better than "lift capability"- all would be
required would be an end ramp. I even have a photo taken on the
Suncook Valley of a drop end gon with two Mack trucks in it. FWIW,
coupled to that was a steam shovel on a depressed center flat car.

Earl Tuson

--- In STMFC@y..., Michael WWW Seitz <mikefrommontana@j...> wrote:

Two days ago there was the question of why tractor loads had to be

for

six tractors on a 50' car. While I am sure the tariff made this

the most

cost effective option, could tractors be shipped in smaller lots

(4) on a

40' car? Or would lesser quantities of equipment still be shipped

in

auto cars?

In 1949, the Wabash had 141 SS auto cars in the 45000-45399 equipped
for double deck Ford tractor loading at Dearborn, Mich. The cars had
14 sets of chains secured by eye bolts to hold 7 tractors on each
deck. Upper deck was reinforced with 2"x8"'s and 8 cross angles.
Cars were stencilled with a "DK' above the "Automobile" lettering in
the upper left hand corner on both sides of the car. By
July 1957, only 7 cars in the same series remained equipped for
tractor loading. By then 10 sets of chains held 5 tractors on each
deck. Tractors got bigger. By 1958, no cars were shown as dedicated
to tractor loading. The Wabash did build and purchase many new flat
cars in the 1950's, so perhaps they were used.

Chet French
Dixon, IL