Intermodal wagons

For my own reference I've been compiling a list of intermodal wagons which are used by Freightliner and EWS/DBS on their intermodal services. The wagon codes link to galleries of that wagon on UK Rolling Stock. I've not included wagons that are use only on specific services, or those not yet in revenue service.

EWS/DB Schenker
FIA/IFA 'multifret' - Bachmann make an FIA Intermodal twin set in EWS and Railfrieght distribution liveries.
FAA are the most distinctive wagons used by EWS as they are single wagons with a low central deck. A kit for the FAA is produced by Genesis Kits.
FCA - twin wagons which look similar to the FEAs.  Inter-City Models have a kit listed.
FKA low-deck twin wagons used by EWS. Similar to the IKA 'Megafrets' used by Freighliner.  A kit is produced by Genesis Kits

Freightliner
FEA-B (Spine Wagons) twin sets which are operated by Freightliner, GBRf, and Fastline. A model is produced by Dapol.
FEA-E (Spine Wagons)  a single wagon version.  It might be possible to build one from a Dapol FEA-B set.
IKA "Megafret" - A model is produced by Dapol in OO and N.
KTA/KQA pocket wagons are used by Freightliner, and most Freightliner Intermodal trains in the Southampton area some of these wagons. Dapol produce a model in OO and N.
FFA/FGA - used by Freightliner - There is an old Hornby based on this wagon or a stunning looking kit by Colin Craig
FLA Lowliners - an OO model is made by Real Track Models (a collaboration between C-Rail and DC Kits)
KFA - Hornby produce this single wagon complete with containers.
FSA & FTA - Nick Gurney has constructed these for his Holland Park by butchering Bachmann 'multifrets', though this requires one twin set to produce a single wagon. A picture of completed wagon can be seen here

Freightliner on their Wagon Fleet

GBRf
KAA - Single wagons which can be used to carry trailers as well as containers.  A kit is produced by Genesis Kits
FEA-B (Spine Wagons) - model produced by Dapol

Proof!

A couple of weeks ago I found a couple of videos on YouTube showing what looks like standard (if a little short) intermodal containers being hauled on wagons on the South African 2ft gauge lines. I've lost the link to the first video I found but here's the second one. I'm guessing that the containers are 10ft long ISO containers, it's difficult to tell exactly what they are from the video but I'd be surprised if they were much smaller. The wagons they are loaded onto don't appear to be specially designed for carrying them as the containers look slightly wider than the wagons but it shows that transporting ISO containers is possible on 2' gauge.

Narrow Gauge Intermodal wagons

Andy in Germany has built a 1:55 40' container and is planning on building a narrow gauge intermodal wagon for it to run on. A comment from TomC suggests using this RhB wagon as a basis for a model. Andy is planning on making a wagon with a 40' deck with the bogies under the deck to keep the length down. Whilst I think that a narrow gauge version of the FLA Lowliners would be ideal that is not something I am going to attempt in OO9. My plan has been to a wagon with similar dimensions to the RhB wagons but similar styling to the EWS FAA so I'm pleased to see that something like this does exist.

The only trouble I have is trying to find time to design and build an intermodal wagon when I'm struggling to find time to finish the pizza or anything on my workbench!

KQA 'Pocket' wagon and 40ft 'High Cube' containers

© Rob Jefferys, used with permission

Dapol have announced KQA 'Pocket' wagon in OO and N and 40ft 'High Cube' containers to match in both scales. This will make it possible to model trains like the one pictured without building kits. If you can't wait for the Dapol model or enjoy building kits then then KQA kits are available from ATM in 2mm scale and Genesis Kits in 4mm scale. I'll be waiting for the Dapol model though.

Heresy!

A week or so ago ago finally got round to spending some Christmas and birthday money and bought some standard gauge locomotives, wagons and track. At some point I'll build a standard gauge layout in the loft.

However this isn't entirly unrelated to my narrow gauge modelling as I also bought a gaugemaster controller, which I'll use for both narrow gauge and standard gauge, and a couple of intermodal containers. In theory I know how big the containers would be but having a couple of 20' containers to play with will make it much easier to visulaise what an 2' gauge intermodal train might look like. I think intermodal wagons which could hold a 30' (avaliable from C-Rail) or a 20' container could work but one that could hold two 20' containers would be longer than the the 13m WHR(C) coaches which are 160mm long in OO9.

The question that thinking about a standard gauge layout raises (other than - I don't do much modlling as it is, is starting in another gauge really a good idea) is should I blog about it? If so should it be here or on another blog? I had been thinking of blogging somewhere else, in fact I already have another blog with draft posts containing some of my research. However as this post shows there is often overlap between standard gauge an narrow gauge, particularly if I end up doing a Chris Nevard and having a narrow gauge line sneaking into my standard gauge layout. A standard gauge to narrow gauge intermodal terminal is also a tempting prospect though I would have to find a way to keep it small. I think that I'll merge my draft blog and this one to create one blog with all my model making, and I'm cyber-squating a blogspot domain for that purpose. Blogger has tag based RSS feeds so any of you only interested in narrow gauge can get only the narrow gauge posts in your feed readers.

Narrow Gauge Intermodal Operations

If narrow gauge lines in the UK had survived as freight carriers it seems likely that they would have either adopted intermodal operations or made wider use of piggybacking standard gauge wagons. Intermodal operations are going to be easier to model so I've been thinking about what advantages they have over piggy backing. One advantage (which will also be an advantage in model form) is that require a smaller loading gauge. I would expect them to be cheaper too as piggybacking wagons would be more complex than intermodal wagons.

The earliest use intermodal on narrow gauge which I've found is on the White Pass & Yukon. In 1955 they started using 8'x8'x7' containers and modified narrow gauge flat cars to carry them (3 per car). They switched to 25' containers in 1965.

Modern Intermodal containers are 8' wide x 8' 6" high and come in various lengths. In the UK 20', 40' and 45' are used. A 20' container in 4mm scale that is 80mm x 32mm x 34mm. The Lyd2 approximately 29mm wide and 43mm high in 4mm scale so I reckon intermodal operations with 20' containers should fit into a loading gauge similar to the modern WHR.

A number of modern narrow gauge railways do use intermodal containers. All these lines have two things in common. Firstly they are the standard gauge for the area they serve and secondly they are all medium gauge railways such as 3' or metre gauge lines. I've not found a single 2' gauge line which handles intermodal traffic. The question is whether this is because carrying intermodal containers becomes impractical at that gauge or whether it is because there are no 2' gauge lines where was a demand.

After doing a bit of my own research I realised that looking at Andy's intermodal category which was partly responsible for me thinking about morden narrow gauge in the first place. His postings confirmed my thoughts on the advantages of intermodal over piggybacking. They also provided a good video of piggybacking in operation on a Polish NG railway.