Rail Car Shipping

[ChgrSteve67]

Someone posted this on facebook and I thought I would share.

I did not know they ever shipped cars like this.

[ChgrSteve67]

And would there be a problem with the gas and oil running places it should not standing the car on its nose?

[DC_1]

And would there be a problem with the gas and oil running places it should not standing the car on its nose?

Exactly what I was thinking.

Guess they don't put fluids in these until they reach their destination.

[mauve66]

they looked like vegas, maybe it wasn't the aluminum engines fault after all............................

[472 R/T SE]

And would there be a problem with the gas and oil running places it should not standing the car on its nose?

Exactly what I was thinking.

Guess they don't put fluids in these until they reach their destination.

But what about the ones down in the bottom right hand corner.  How did they get there?

[69bronzeT5]

From what I know is they actually built those rail cars just to ship the Vega's....


"The Vega was designed for vertical shipment, nose down. General Motors and Southern Pacific designed "Vert-A-Pac" Railroad cars to hold 30 Vegas each, compared with normal tri-level autoracks which held 18. The Vega was fitted with four removable cast-steel sockets on the underside and had plastic spacers—removed at unloading—to protect engine and transmission mounts. The rail car ramp/doors were opened and closed via forklift. Vibration and low-speed crash tests ensured the cars would not shift or suffer damage in transit. The Vega was delivered topped with fluids, ready to drive to dealerships, so the engine was baffled to prevent oil entering the number one cylinder; the battery filler caps high on the rear edge of the casing prevented acid spills; a tube drained fuel from carburetor to vapor canister; and the windshield washer bottle stood at 45 degrees"

[Slowpoke]

I think the Vega wagon in the first picture is my first car.

Even with the bad rap they got i really enjoyed driving the crap out of that Vega gt wagon.

[Highbanked Hauler]

 So they must have been standing on the front bumper ?

[moparstuart]

look at all those daytona clone donors   

[TruckDriver]

I wish I could find a rust free Vega cheap. The poor man's Camaro. I had 2 of them when I was younger. You could actually cherp the tires in the first 3 gears if you had the 2bbl engine & the 4spd. Good gas milage too.

[Old Moparz]

First thing I thought of was, 3 balls for a quarter to try to win a prize. 

[BB1]

Gezz the don't do that anymore, bi and tri lvl is how it's done today.

I'll take a 24 pack of Vegas please. 

[Todd Wilson]

The SP was a leader in coming up with ways to ship years ago. They were the ones to come up with the stack and trailer train stuff years ago.


Todd

[stripedelete]

Neat stuff.  Thanks for posting.  If someone had told me about this I would have called B.S. 

I wonder how many more cars they got on with this method?  It reminds me a little of the K-Car. Its length was specific to getting one more on a rail car.   At least that's what Lee said.   

[Robert96]

That's the most unusual method I've ever seen. The Cincinnati and Lake Erie Traction Line actually pioneered the trailer train back in the early 30's. Cincinnati to Detroit overnight!

[Ghoste]

Interesting stuff Steve.  Did GM foot the billl for the rail cars too I wonder or did they just design it and strongarm the rail company into making them?  ("trust us, we'll be building these things for decades, you'll make your investment back")

[ChgrSteve67]

Could you imagine one of the doors falling open while the train was moving.

And it just doesn't look safe to be around.