Temporary Trailer-Engine haul

[jabsteam]

instead of rails that 3/16" flanges can easily hop off of, I use wood "furring strips" that are 1/2" thick and screw them into the floor on the outside of the wheels. The wheels ride on the floor between the furring strips, and it takes a LOT to bounce over that 1/2" furring strip.

Do I understand you correctly, that the cars/tender/engine all sit on the flanges when being transported?

H

Yes, they sit on the flanges. They sink slightly into the plywood floor where parked until the truck sideframe rides on the furring strip.
The track/trough that the engines ride on got grooved pretty good over 5 years use, so I lined that track with 1"x 1/16" flat stock that the flanges ride on now.

[jabsteam]

Chris Brew - That is an elegant solution to riding the train cars on tube rail.

I always had problems trailering my trains riding on any kind of rail. Just couldn't keep them from derailing on the heavy bumps, so I had to go to hook brackets to clamp to the car axles (all 4) to the tube rail. Times 6 cars on the upper deck. VERY involved backbreaking and time consuming process to load/unload. Learned a lot with that first trailer, towing around trailer #4 now. This one holds 2 cars each top and bottom left side, engines down the middle on the floor, and 1 long car each top and bottom on the right side with the side door. Unload the engines from center track first, then I can walk the center aisle to reach all other cars to un-tie them. Train stays in trailer at home, clearing out my garage, and never have to load/unload at home except for shopping/maintenance inside the garage. For me, a 6 car train is plenty to ride around with as I mostly ride solo since my wife died.

I do the opposite of you, Chris, the Condo is on the back of the truck, the trains ride in their own trailer.

Double deck A.jpg (9.58 KiB) Viewed 5840 times

Don't know why the pics are 90 deg. off ??

[Gary Armitstead]

Thought I would throw my design in here........I built this transport rack about five years ago to take my two Baldwin electrics to run at Los Angeles Live Steamers. Granted that drive is only about 8 miles round-trip. But both engines ride just fine in this car. Each engine weisghs 350 pounds each with batteries installed (700 pounds combined. Probably close to what a Volvo Wagon should be carrying . I have also driven both engine to Orange County Model Engineers a few times. That drive is about 90-95 miles round-trip. All freeway and a little on city streets. Both engines still ride nicely. I use couplers at the front of the rack and put two ratchet straps over the cabs. These sit nice and snug. I feel very safe hauling these this way. We also use this rack in my son-in-laws full-size Chevy pickup .

[cbrew]

Chris Brew - That is an elegant solution to riding the train cars on tube rail.

I always had problems trailering my trains riding on any kind of rail. Just couldn't keep them from derailing on the heavy bumps, so I had to go to hook brackets to clamp to the car axles (all 4) to the tube rail. Times 6 cars on the upper deck. VERY involved backbreaking and time consuming process to load/unload. Learned a lot with that first trailer, towing around trailer #4 now. This one holds 2 cars each top and bottom left side, engines down the middle on the floor, and 1 long car each top and bottom on the right side with the side door. Unload the engines from center track first, then I can walk the center aisle to reach all other cars to un-tie them. Train stays in trailer at home, clearing out my garage, and never have to load/unload at home except for shopping/maintenance inside the garage. For me, a 6 car train is plenty to ride around with as I mostly ride solo since my wife died.

I do the opposite of you, Chris, the Condo is on the back of the truck, the trains ride in their own trailer.

Double deck A.jpg

Trailer pack .jpg

DSCN0006.JPG

Don't know why the pics are 90 deg. off ??

Morning, I also have been setup with a 7X14 foot cargo trailer, after my daughter grew up and is not able to go with me everything, my wife started going but needed to upgrade the condo a little for her.
the 2012 triennial, i pulled both trailers down. (one at a time ). that triggered the current setup to cut down the number of trips
the setup i have pulled down on the couplers (freight cars) and the passenger cars use D rings for safety chains, i use those with turnbuckles) I compress the truck springs a little and i have never had anything jump off the rails
well its time to jump in the cowboy Cadillac and head to work.

[Berkman]

Cbrew,

Great looking setup. Curious why you didn't go for 4 tracks on the bottom? Also it is a PIA having the middle tracks on the 2nd layer vs having that area open as an "aisle" then one track on each wall like a lot of guys do with their trailers?

[cbrew]

Cbrew,

Great looking setup. Curious why you didn't go for 4 tracks on the bottom? Also it is a PIA having the middle tracks on the 2nd layer vs having that area open as an "aisle" then one track on each wall like a lot of guys do with their trailers?

it was more of a equal loading concern. the locomotive normally lives in the center lower level, in the trailer and pickup versions. the locomotive (steamer) weights close to the same as all four coaches that live on the top rack. the dismal probably out weights the full passenger train (902 lbs)

[Bill Shields]

the problem many of you are reporting with jumping off the track is similar to what I have seen.

did any of you try putting a guide block between the rails to keep the back side of the wheel from moving left or right...forget the flange...

this allowed me to not worry about where the flange sits since I am not guiding by the flange..but by the back of the wheel.

sometime will tell you the story of my Hudson that had a flange broken off a trailing truck wheel in shipment...learned that lesson the hard way.

it is also why i put steel tires on everything now....nothing more embarrassing than to get to a track and discover that your loco will not stay on the rails because a big chunk is missing from one of the wheels....

[makinsmoke]

I like the 1x2 furring strips as yes they do keep equipment from moving side to side, but just as important, the tires ride on the wood. The weight of the equipment is on the tire not the flange.

Just my two cents. Your mileage may vary.

[Shlick88]

You guys never disappoint- tons of good information. I'll definitely be picking your brains when it comes time to set-up our permanent trailer. However, as I get closer to making this haul I've got one more question.

The loading ramp that we're using is stationary and about 26" above ground level. The engine stand that the engine will be unloaded onto is 27". The trailer deck/floor is only 16" high. I need to have the "rails" in the trailer about 10" off the floor to make for an even load/unload. Early thought is to use some larger fence posts to raise the plywood decking and then attach the temporary rails to the plywood. However, you guys always have great suggestions that I haven't thought of yet, so figured I'd throw it out.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

[Bill Shields]

jack the trailer up?

[JimJam]

Good ideas in this thread. I'm interested to hear (and see) how other people are holding down their locomotives while being transported. Anyone have a favorite device to "nail down" their engine ?

- Jimi -

[cbrew]

Good ideas in this thread. I'm interested to hear (and see) how other people are holding down their locomotives while being transported. Anyone have a favorite device to "nail down" their engine ?

- Jimi -

yes, I use two large angle brackets made up from 1X.375 far bent at a 90 degree angle. it bolts to the rear cab support of the locomotive and to the steel frame on the truck rack, the locomotive does not move at all. I can shake the hell out of the truck and its stays put. as for the cars. I believe in redundancy. I use turnbuckles that connect to the safety chain hooks and to the truck rack, i pull down enough to compress the truck springs. then i add blocks fabbed out of 3 inch channel at each end to arrest the car from rolling back and forth. then this is capped with a canvas tarp over the whole load.

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