A real trilevel rack is mounted on a flat car with special trucks that use 28” wheels to get the A deck as low as possible. The usual wheel size is 33 inches. Since the flatcar deck is low, the draft gear is mounted on top of the A deck to get the couplers up to the right height. There are ramps to go down from the end sill onto the A deck. The loaded autos at each end of the car sit at an angle with wheels on these ramps. The hinged B deck comes down and uses the space over the hood and trunk of the autos loaded on the end positions. With the hinged deck down, the B deck is straight through, as is the C deck. I have never seen a mass produced model with these detailed. The Trailer Train flats used for trilevels have a reduced capacity because all eight of the 28 inch wheels are only good for 55 tons, while the axles and bearings are rated at 70 tons. I have never seen these low deck flat cars used for anything other than trilevel auto racks.
|
|
