50 Ft Intermodal Flats

Back in the early 1980's, Norfolk Southern took some surplus 50 ft box cars and converted them into intermodal flat cars that would carry up to a 48 ft trailer. I know C&NW did the same and it seems like I read somewhere that Santa Fe tried this. Does anyone know if ATSF did this. If so, does anyone know where I can find some info about the cars and/or photos? Thanks for any help on this.

 

Santa Fe did this using flat cars that had fixed hitches applied, I believe in the early 1980's. I built a few of them, but they were pretty much all gone by 1989 which is my era modeled, so I removed them from the layout. There are some photos in commercial publications, and I will look through my library and see if I can locate them, and let you know. If I remember, I used MDC 50' flat cars as the basis, but it has been so many years I can't say for sure. They were fairly easy converts.

Major drawback was that trailers got longer, and these cars couldn't accomodate them, so they were obsolete quickly.

Bob Miller

 

Haven't found photos yet, but "Listing of Freight Cars by Class and Car Number 1906-1991" compiled by Larry Occhiello, and I believe still available from ATSF modelers and historical society lists the following:
293095-293235 Ft32 Flat 51' tofc listed 1985-1987
293236-293334 Ft33 Flat 51' tofc listed 1985-1987

299000-299348 Ft105 Flat 50'tofc from Bx74,75 gone 1991
299349-299592 Ft107 Flat 50'tofc gone 1991
299601-299683 Ft108 Flat 50'tofc gone 1991

Will still watch for photos. Believe the ones I did were painted white and others mineral brown.
Bob Miller

 

FYI. Back in the early eights at least out of Hobart Santa Fe actually used Gondolas for containers. Don't know how they were secured. Saw a whole bunch going thru Fullerton CA then.

 

Hey everyone,
Thanks for the replies. Bob, you provided the info I needed. Would still be interested in pics if you happen to come across any. I appreciate everyones help. Thanks.