Steam and Intermodal

[popeter45]

did BR ever run any steam trains pulling intermodal containers near the end of Steam on british rails or did intermodal containters only start to be seen after Steam trains where phased out?

 

[Romsey]

Although there was an overlap the Freightliner wagons were air braked and by 1967/1968 the only steam locos left in the UK were vacuum braked.

 

[etr221]

Containers (of various sorts) were in use from the earliest days of railways, and use of them increased from the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1920s a series of standard designs, specified by the RCH, were introduced and use of these increased over the years into early 1960s (BR inherited 20000, and stock rose to 50000 by 1960), when the new era of containerisation started. But they were largely worked as individual wagonloads, most (or at least many) stations had a suitable crane to handle them.

While the initial 'Condor' container service of c 1960 was scheduled for diesel haulage, by the MetroVick Co-Bo Type 2, I wouldn't be suprised if steam had to step into breach on occaision.

See https://www.igg.org.uk/rail/7-fops/fo-vbcont.htm , https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brcontainer and http://www.igg.org.uk/rail/5-unit/unitload1.htm .

 

[Shimbleshanks]

I'm sure I've seen relatively recent footage on Youtube of a steam loco on a container (or partly container) train in either Bosnia or Serbia. Frustratingly, though, I can't find it though there are films of steam on regular freight from as recently as 2019 or so.
...but I did find this from Eritrea - slightly contrived, I suppose, but nontheless steam-hauled intermodal:

 

[Richard Scott]

I'm sure I've seen relatively recent footage on Youtube of a steam loco on a container (or partly container) train in either Bosnia or Serbia. Frustratingly, though, I can't find it though there are films of steam on regular freight from as recently as 2019 or so.

Likely Bosnia as still some working steam there, think near Tulza? No steam in Serbia (standard gauge), almost all non electric hauled freight in Serbia is in hands of class 661 GM locos.

 

[Taunton]

The short, timber-bodies containers on flat wagons (occasionally in low-sided opens) were pretty universal around the system by the end of the 1950s, before dieselisation. They could be seen laying lineside at many freight depots. Many individually in marshalled trains but there were several dedicated services. Goodness, my Hornby railway even had one. BR in those days also had a substantial road vehicle lorry fleet at most depots, able to haul them to and from their destination.

Elsewhere, in the USA intermodal started before ISO containers with Piggyback (which they still have to a considerable extent); road trailers, with their wheels, on flat cars. Began in the 1950s when most US operations were dieselised, and these were prestige runs. But I recall Trains magazine managed to find one 1950s photograph of a Piggyback with a (I think it was a Nickel Plate 2-8-4) big steam loco heading the train at speed.

 

[ac6000cw]

The short, timber-bodies containers on flat wagons (occasionally in low-sided opens) were pretty universal around the system by the end of the 1950s, before dieselisation. They could be seen laying lineside at many freight depots. Many individually in marshalled trains but there were several dedicated services. Goodness, my Hornby railway even had one

Mine too...

But yes, 'inter-modal' freight transport goes back a long way in railway history.

As for relatively modern (1943-built) steam power hauling containers, albeit in the USA, this is a 4-6-6-4 putting all of it's 5000 hp to good use :

 

[Cowley]

As for relatively modern (1943-built) steam power hauling containers, albeit in the USA, this is a 4-6-6-4 putting all of it's 5000 hp to good use :

That is pretty impressive to be fair.

 

[Taunton]

5,000hp? That's 2 x GP35 2,500hp locos from the 1960s. Same power, more driving axles.

I doubt if they could get 143 loaded double-stacks even STARTED! Let along going significantly uphill like that through Wyoming. What's it doing? 50mph?

The evaporation rate in the boiler must be huge.

 

[ac6000cw]

I've seen estimates of the drawbar hp of a 'Challenger' ranging from 4500 to over 5000. The larger 4-8-8-4 'Big Boy' is usually reckoned to be around 6000 hp. As they both have relatively large (for freight) 68"-69" driving wheel diameters, they need to be moving at a reasonable speed to actually produce that.

The 2 x GP35 should produce more low-speed tractive effort, but the Challenger might beat them at higher speeds.

People have estimated the speed of the train in that video at about 35 mph, and that it is part way up a 0.65% gradient (coming from a long flat section of line). The train weight is guesswork - a 40 foot container weighs between about 4 and 27 tonnes depending on what's inside it, and each intermodal 'well' car tare weight is about 17 tonnes.

The evaporation rate in the boiler must be huge.

Not seen a 'Challenger' in the metal, but I have seen a 'Big Boy' close up - the (coal burning) firebox is enormous, as is almost everything else about it...

As for what big American steam could haul, apparently the Norfolk & Western used to haul 200-car coal trains (maybe 16000 tonnes?) across the flat eastern coastal plain behind a single Y-class 2-8-8-2 Mallet...

 

[Taunton]

If I recall correctly this run, which was done for a major container shipper's new service, was the Challenger's first major outing after conversion from coal to oil firing. Note the containers are all branded for American President Lines, rather than the usual mixture.

 

[Flying Phil]

There have been two "Classic" BR containers and their flat wagons restored on the Great Central recently. Together with a Scammel road tractor unit and trailer. Search for the "Quorn Wagon & Wagon Group" website for pictures.