Stack cars and bridges

Paul

We just build new bridges  Very convenient   We currently have a very unique double decker bridge that can't fit stacks or auto racks  We are building two seperate 6 foor bridges to replace it

I've seen different examples of handling clearance issues. Short tunnels have been "daylighted" since modern excavation/earth-moving equipment made this possible (I heard there was a formula they used to determine whether tunneling or making a cut was preferred.) In some cases, the track has been removed and the roadbed trenched out to a lower level and re-graded. In other cases, bridges have been replaced. All of it depends on which is the most cost-effective.

In a modeling context, I guess the issue is which represents less of a hassle-factor.

Thankfully my first train was the BNSF Husky Stack starter set, so I designed my outer loop to fit them!  But then again I did design my inner and upper loops so that it was too short.  

My layout has been around long enough that I designed it for the clearances for the old Lionel 1990's style piggybacks and double stacks.  So, I ran with single stacks after getting my first scale double stack and finding it laying on the side of the tracks after not making it through my Lionel trestle bridge.  Ran that way for several years and then decided it was time to retrofit the layout.  So here is what I had to do:

+ discard the Lionel trestle and replace it with a kit built Plastruct trestle bridge.

+ rebuild my Lionel bascule bridge to increase its clearance, per an article posted some time ago here on the OGR chat line.

+ tunnel portals are made of expanded foam, so some minor carving added needed clearance (something like the prototype!)

+ and finally, I had to completely raise a second level by 1/2 inch by adjusting every support bracket.

But now I can put those containers back onto the second tier of my cars.

Paul:

Much like Pete said, I had to add a half inch to the upper level benchwork. Fortunately the scenery between the two levels is non-existant. On the main level, though, I have a four-foot concrete "canyon" that ducks under some buildings in the cityscape. For that, I had to take out the half-inch homasote roadbed and replace it with some very thin cork. There is now a dip in the mailine as the trains enter the canyon. It causes problems with a few cars that have too much up-and-down play in the couplers.

Then I find out there are TWO sizes of Husky stacks, one would have fit just fine without all the contortions on the layout. The slap you hear is me whacking my forehead with my hand...  

A while ago, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Conrail encountered all these complications when clearances were increased to get double-stack trains to and from Eastern ports.

Double-stack cars are the tallest cars in regular service. They tower over locomotives and other cars. Watching them pass is like looking at houses go by.