Western Railroad Discussion > Walmart containers on a BNSF eastbound thru Flagstaff AZ today

Finally saw Walmart containers today after 11AM on VR Flagstaff AZ cam on an eastbound BNSF intermodal. These containers have the standard swinging doors. Reports were that Walmart containers would have rollup back doors.
Several articles written about Walmart shipping imports direct to stores in new Walmart containers from LA area transload. Never saw an actual photo until these today.

gmojim

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Virtual Railfan Cams is such a great resource. I watch 4 cams on my computer screen at same time. 

gmojim

Flagstaff is a great location. Constant activity.

Posted from Android

I like the one they recently set up at Kearney NE. I hope that the weather there is better when I visit next month!

Nice catch.  Look just like the trailers.  Notice that Estes Express has some new containers too.

I need those containers in HO scale ASAP.

Another Walmart container on a BNSF eastbound at Belen at 511PM. 

gmojim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/19 18:37 by gmojim.

There was a Wally World container on a chassis on flatcar on the UP ZLAMQ passing El Paso this morning. 

I'm thinking that at least for the car in the well, the swing doors provide a good degree of security over roll up doors. Then I thought of one of those "Million dollar ideas".....invent a door lock mechanism that is only accessable when a container is on a standard chassis, but not when stacked or sitting on the ground. That could thwart a lot theft, particularly when on trains.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

funnelfan Wrote:
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> I'm thinking that at least for the car in the
> well, the swing doors provide a good degree of
> security over roll up doors. Then I thought of one
> of those "Million dollar ideas".....invent a door
> lock mechanism that is only accessable when a
> container is on a standard chassis, but not when
> stacked or sitting on the ground. That could
> thwart a lot theft, particularly when on trains.

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They wanted roll up doors so they could drop a container at store at the dock and store could unload hours later when they had crew to unload,. Cannot do that with swinging doors on a drop container,

gmojim




 

gmojim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> funnelfan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'm thinking that at least for the car in the
> > well, the swing doors provide a good degree of
> > security over roll up doors. Then I thought of
> one
> > of those "Million dollar ideas".....invent a
> door
> > lock mechanism that is only accessable when a
> > container is on a standard chassis, but not
> when
> > stacked or sitting on the ground. That could
> > thwart a lot theft, particularly when on
> trains.
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> ------------------------------------
>
> They wanted roll up doors so they could drop a
> container at store at the dock and store could
> unload hours later when they had crew to unload,.
> Cannot do that with swinging doors on a drop
> container,
>
> gmojim
>

Also, as discussed a few months ago when the rumor of roll-up doors came out, you will not find a roll-up door on an intermodel container as the bars and doors of swing doors (barn doors) are an integral part of the stability of the container during lifting procedures.

jst3751 Wrote:
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>
> Also, as discussed a few months ago when the rumor
> of roll-up doors came out, you will not find a
> roll-up door on an intermodel container as the
> bars and doors of swing doors (barn doors) are an
> integral part of the stability of the container
> during lifting procedures.

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There have been 53ft roll up door containers on FEC Railway in Florida for years riding double stack. Check out videos of FEC trains and they are on trains, in particular the 101 train.
I believe all 53ft containers have their lifting points set at the 40ft container mark. That is where the container has the extra strength for stability.

gmojim

gmojim

Look at my photo above, the lifting pins for the containers are set at the 40ft container mark. That is where the extra support is positioned.

gmojim

gmojim Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> There have been 53ft roll up door containers on
> FEC Railway in Florida for years riding double
> stack. Check out videos of FEC trains and they are
> on trains, in particular the 101 train.
> I believe all 53ft containers have their lifting
> points set at the 40ft container mark. That is
> where the container has the extra strength for
> stability.
>
> gmojim
>
> gmojim

As discussed in the past, it has nothing to do with the strength of the lifting points. It has to do with the overall strength of the container and its ability to remain in shape. And in the past, you have said you see them but have never posted any pictures or videos of them.

IF an intermodel container were designed to have roll-up doors, the corners and end framing would have to be probably double built so that the corners had enough strength and rigidity to resist any possible even tiniest of movement side-to-side. That would come at a cost of several hundred pounds of tare weight added to the container.

Additionally, with roll-up doors, you have added a significant maintenance and repair to the TCO of the container. 

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 
>
> As discussed in the past, it has nothing to do
> with the strength of the lifting points. It has to
> do with the overall strength of the container and
> its ability to remain in shape. And in the past,
> you have said you see them but have never posted
> any pictures or videos of them.
>
> IF an intermodel container were designed to have
> roll-up doors, the corners and end framing would
> have to be probably double built so that the
> corners had enough strength and rigidity to resist
> any possible even tiniest of movement
> side-to-side. That would come at a cost of several
> hundred pounds of tare weight added to the
> container.
>
> Additionally, with roll-up doors, you have added a
> significant maintenance and repair to the TCO of
> the container. 
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I agree the frame around the door has to be built stronger to stay in proper straight position. They are regular highway trailers in Florida in a grocery store fleet that have the beefed up stronger frame around the roll up rear doors. When i see them I think that is what a rollup door railroad container needs.  Walmart's new containers will usually carry cube freight such as Christmas toys where weight is not a problem.
I will check the videos and try for a photo of the rollup door containers on FEC in Florida.
Here is one of many articles written about Walmart's plans for their container fleet.

https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/walmart-containers-fleet-drivers-drayage/548604/

gmojim

jst3751
Person recording FEC trains has cut back on his video post.  He had posted video of the 101 train 3 or 4 times a week. But now only 1 time per week or less. I see some video of the containers but container nose is facing the camera and cannot see the back door.
The containers on the FEC trains looked to have a more beefed up frame around the roll up doors, you are correct on that.
Searching youtube but nothing yet.

gmojim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/19 18:37 by gmojim.

A new Walmart container on the LA to Memphis train today thru Flagstaff. They are starting to show up on various BNSF trains.

gmojim

Here's a 53' FEC' containers with a roll up door. These are rare, and ex- trailerbridge. Trailerbridge is a shipping company that delivers to the Carribean.  So they were presumably designed heavier than a standard 53' railroad container. Also the White XFEU containers almost postive these also have roll up doors.







 

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flarails882  thanks for the photos.  Trying to find them on videos but cannot locate any yet.

gmojim

gmojim Wrote:
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> flarails882  thanks for the photos.  Trying to
> find them on videos but cannot locate any yet.
>
> gmojim

They are very rare, I took those photos a few months ago when someone above demanded visual evidence!  They were not taken on FEC rails either!  Anyways roll up doors would have limited backhaul opportunity for those containers, because some shippers will reject any trailer outfitted with a roll up door.