# Quick question about Spine cars.



## RRwannabe (Jan 20, 2009)

I have searched up and down and was wondering if they double stack general freight/merchandise containers on Multi-purpose spine cars? I've seen double stacked trash containers but cant find anything else. and if not does anyone know why?


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## Greg Stevens (Jan 3, 2008)

I don't think I have ever seen double stacked containers on a spine car. Well cars, yes as is obvious. Spine cars are for single COFC or TOFC only. They are too unstable for a higher center of gravity as with a double stacker. BTW, spine cars used to be known as " Fuel Foilers" when they came out on the AT&SF back in the day. I hope this helps.


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## RRwannabe (Jan 20, 2009)

Thanks, After Hearing someone say it I guess it makes sense. As well cars provide the low center of gravity needed and trash containers usually aren't as tall as regular containers. Why the name Fuel Foilers? just not as efficient as a well car can do all the same stuff but more?


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Someone here several years ago had done up some really cool 3d graphics of some spine cars he was building. I'm not sure he ever finished them though and cannot even remeber who it was now? 

Chas


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Spline cars are limited by what they can carry, they can not be in a train with a pusher unless they are behind the pusher & they are linited to 55 MPH when empty or they will derail.. Hope this helps.. 

BulletBob


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

ATSF came up with the design of Fuel Foilers and made them for several years. They originally where made in groups of 10 cars. It was believed that the design did improve fuel efficiency. There for the name fuel foilers. Later RJD


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## RRwannabe (Jan 20, 2009)

I haven't even build my Rail Road yet and was wanting to try my hand at modeling. I was thinking of these or 89 ft flat cars, though the flat cars seem more reasonable for a first attempt, the spline cars I hadn't seen done before. Thanks for the useful info. Do they still use them or are they pretty much obsolete? what about NS Coltainer service containers?


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## Jim James (Feb 12, 2008)

Not sure what neck of the woods you might be from, but another flatcar that could be done, if you so desired, would be the log flat car. They are quite unique. We had those (trains of) up in the Northwest when I was working up there in the 50's-70's and sometimes into the 80's. Most Class I railroads don't use them in these modern times. Nothing more enjoyable to see than a full train of loaded log flats with different size logs loaded upon. Seeing those huge old trees, thick bark and counting the rings at the cut were really something. Not much used anymore since most logs (what the fed's let be cut, that is) are usually hauled by trucks these days. Although I'm sure there are short line RR still hauling some today. Jim


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## Greg Stevens (Jan 3, 2008)

They are still used daily as far as I know. They are no longer used in 10 car configurations though. They are in odd numbers from 1-5 sections per car. The 10 packers or fuel foilers had a problem derailing with anything heavy behind them. I remember back in the 80's, a train coming towards L.A. on the old ATSF Second District in Highland Park, CA had some double stacks behing some 10 packers. The articulated trucks of one of the 10 packers didn't articulate properly and the whole mess ended up in someones back yard, one car hitting an apartment building. From then on, the ATSF always ran double stacks ahead of 10 packers. And woe be the Trainmaster who let a train get out of town with 10 packers ahead of double stackers.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Ok went back to the acrchives and did a quick search on Spine and came up with two threads.

http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=30523&whichpage=2&SearchTerms=spine

Mike Riggle "tallic68" was researching casting sets for sale and folks seemed intrested then.

http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=28568&SearchTerms=spine

Used to show a lot of photos of course since Mike seems to ahve dropped off the lsit his First class webspace and thus the photos are gone (pity)

Chas


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