The widest bi-level ever, "flat-top" is already paying big dividends in convenience of loading and reduced chance of damage. |
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The widest multi-level car ever put into service on any railroad is the latest product of Southern's innovative Customer Service Engineering department. The 100-inch wide, auto-rack car has been so successful that it is expected to become a new standard for the railroad industry.
Developed for auto service, the wider bi-level carries a new Southern Railway emblem for this type of car, featuring the word "Southern" painted in red on an oval grey background outlined in black.
Already nicknamed the "flat-top" by automobile shippers, the car's unconventional topside appearance was achieved by eliminating heavy steel side supports that extended above the level of the top deck on older versions of the bi-levels. These have been replaced with one-inch posts and safety lines that run the length of the car .
All of the new cars are 89 feet long, four feet longer than the older bi-levels. Both the upper and lower decks have been widened by four inches, with an additional nine inches of width gained on the upper deck by removing the structural columns.
The widest bi-level ever, "flat-top" is already paying big dividends in convenience of loading and reduced chance of damage. |
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Automobile shippers have welcomed the extra width because it makes for safer, faster and more efficient loading. The chance of damage, particularly to tires, is also significantly reduced.
Side posts which also serve as the structural support for the top deck on the new cars are staggered rather than evenly spaced on each side as in previous models. This change facilitates easy loading by insuring that the driver who loads the vehicle on the rack will always have one side clear. so that he "can get out of the car without squeezing or jamming a door against a column, thereby minimizing body damage and chipped paint.
Another plus is hydraulic end-of-car cushioning which softens the effect of in-transit bumps or jolts and further reduces the possibility of damage to the vehicles.
Demonstrating the increased width of Southern's new bi-level are R. J. Jones, traffic manager of the Chevrolet assembly plant in Atlanta, and William J. Lee, assistant to vice-president, Atlanta Sales office. |
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Forty-two of the wider bi-levels are now in service and shippers are pleased with their performance. As some of them have pointed out, they like the new bi-level not only because it makes their job easier but shows Southern's willingness to cooperate for mutual benefit.
The new auto-rack cars are another step toward Southern's goal of designing the most useful car to suit a particular commodity. By keeping the customer's needs foremost and continually upgrading its f reight cars to better serve those needs, Southern is able to provide a better brand of transportation service that profits both the customer and the railroad.