Fuselage cars

bendorsey

Bridge-n-trestle builder
Has anyone made the special traincars used to transport Boeing fuselages from the plant in Wichita, Kansas to Renton, Washington where I assume the complete airplane is assembled? Quite long from what I've read.

Thanks,

Ben
 
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Product
Aircraft Fuselage 2 B737 Product
Type: Product
Downloaded: 2374
File Size: 482.02 kb
File Type: .cdp
Created by: vulcan
Date: 26th March 2013
Version: Trainz Classics 1 & 2
KUID2: <KUID2:60238:70014:2>





Description:
An aircraft fuselage 2 B737 as a product.









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Terrain Feature
Aircraft Fuselage 2 static
Type: Terrain Features
Downloaded: 8401
File Size: 471.99 kb
File Type: .cdp
Created by: vulcan
Date: 9th December 2010
Version: Trainz Classics 1 & 2
KUID2: <KUID2:60238:26306:1>





Description:
A Boeing 737 aircraft fuselage section as a scenery item. It is height and roll adjustable.









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Product
Aircraft Fuselage B737 Product
Type: Product
Downloaded: 2952
File Size: 543.74 kb
File Type: .cdp
Created by: vulcan
Date: 26th March 2013
Version: Trainz Classics 1 & 2
KUID2: <KUID2:60238:70013:2>





Description:
An aircraft fuselage B737 as a product.









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Terrain Feature
Aircraft Fuselage static
Type: Terrain Features
Downloaded: 13981
File Size: 532.45 kb
File Type: .cdp
Created by: vulcan
Date: 9th December 2010
Version: Trainz Classics 1 & 2
KUID2: <KUID2:60238:26305:1>





Description:
A Boeing 737 aircraft fuselage section as a scenery item. It is height and roll adjustable.









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RollingStock
BNSF Aircraft Fuselage Clearance Flat Car
Type: Rolling Stock
Downloaded: 3954
File Size: 379.38 kb
File Type: .cdp
Created by: vulcan
Date: 9th December 2010
Version: Trainz Classics 1 & 2
KUID2: <KUID2:60238:15076:1>





Description:
A BNSF Flat car for transportation of aircraft fuselages and sections. This is the clearance car that enables a fuselage on an adjacent car to straddle this car.









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RollingStock
BNSF Aircraft Fuselage Clearance Flat Car 2
Type: Rolling Stock
Downloaded: 43468
File Size: 379.91 kb
File Type: .cdp
Created by: vulcan
Date: 9th December 2010
Version: Trainz Classics 1 & 2
KUID2: <KUID2:60238:15077:1>





Description:
A shorter BNSF Flat car for transportation of aircraft fuselages and sections. This is the clearance car that enables a fuselage on an adjacent car to straddle this car.









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RollingStock
BNSF Aircraft Fuselage Flat Car
Type: Rolling Stock
Downloaded: 42599
File Size: 392.29 kb
File Type: .cdp
Created by: vulcan
Date: 9th December 2010
Version: Trainz Classics 1 & 2
KUID2: <KUID2:60238:15075:1>





Description:
A BNSF Flat car for transportation of aircraft fuselages and sections.
 
WOW! Vulcan has been busy, lol.

I was curious as the news showed a train wreck involving at least 6 of these cars (loaded) and according to the text they had to be at least 130 feet long (which is most definitely longer then even he longest passenger car).

Many thanks for the info.

Ben
 
Since I live in Seattle, I know a bit about the 737.

The overall length of a finished 737 varies from 102-138 feet, depending on if it is a -600,-700,-800 or -900ER variant. The fuselages being transported are missing the front radome and I think the last few feet of the rear as well. So the length of the fuselages on the railcars is probably more like 90-120 feet or so.

The fuselage cars are 89ft flatcars with an icebreaker in front to protect the fuselage from overhanging icicles and such. Trailing each fuselage car is a 60ft flatcar with a large box that contains additional parts.

Here are some of my videos showing the fuselage cars coming in to Seattle or being moved from Balmer Yard in Seattle down to the Renton plant. The job that services the Renton plant is known as the "Renton Rocket" job:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-z8YylR3fA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhiumkbQgV8

Todd
 
Very nice. I wondered what the thing in front was (not much need for ice breakers where I live in South Florida, lol).

Are the flatcars used for other purpose or are they dedicated o fuselage loads only?

Ben
 
Sections of the planes are built by contractors around the world, then transported to Boeing for assembly.
cheers,
Mike
 
Very nice. I wondered what the thing in front was (not much need for ice breakers where I live in South Florida, lol).

Are the flatcars used for other purpose or are they dedicated o fuselage loads only?

They're dedicated to fuselage service. There are structures welded to the cars that the fuselage mounts onto. In the videos you can see a large cradle under the wing root and a smaller one under the nose gear area where the airframe bolts to the flatcar.

These are in heavy use as Boeing has a target of 42 planes a month. That means they need about 10-11 fuselages a week. They get deliveries of 3-4 fuselages about three times a week or so.

This derailment has wider consequences as fuselages are not necessarily interchangeable. Much like the steam locos of old, they are basically the same but with some detail changes for each customer. Boeing is talking to the customers of the affected planes to make accommodations. They are also talking to Spirit Aerosystems in Witchita to see how fast they can re-make new fuselages. That won't be easy as they don't have a lot of excess capacity.

I'm guessing they won't try to fix the damaged fuselages. Imagine the liability if you fixed the damage and some years later the plane had a serious structural issue and people were killed or injured. If I was their lawyer, I'd advise Boeing to make new fuselages rather than take the chance.

Todd
 
Why does Boeing build airplanes in two factories instead of in one factory?

Building airplanes takes a lot of real estate. Lots of parts, many of them very large.

Boeing started with a fairly good size factory next to Boeing Field in south Seattle. During WWII, they opened the Renton plant to make B-29s, then 707s, then 737s.

For the 747 they built a new plant in Everett, 30 miles north of Seattle. It's the largest building in the world by volume and now makes the 747, 777 and 787. Even then, they had to open another plant to make the wing spars down in Frederickson, about 40 miles south of Seattle.
As a side note, that means we get to see the unique dual-driver trucks that transports the wing spars up to Everett. Here is a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn0OaxD3XuM Pretty cool, eh? Not something you'll see anywhere else.

Witchita made B-29s, then B-47s, then B-52s. It was likely more efficient to use Witchita to build the 737 fuselages than try to find space locally. The area around Renton was all built up and so there was no way to buy up hundreds of acres to expand the old plant.

Todd
 
Yup - don't see a truck like that everyday. Thanks for the video.

With that many fuselages a month -dedicated flatcars make sense.

Have to agree with you about scrapping them -potential liability and so on.

Wonder how insurance on the load is involved. I would find it hard to believe the loads weren't insured in some manner.

Ben
 
I'm sure BNSF is well insured. Given the multi-million dollar nature of this cargo, I wouldn't be surprised if their shipping charge includes a premium for extra insurance coverage for just this eventuality. I did see quotes from a MRL (tracks were actually owned by Montana Rail Link) official that "insurance considerations won't be decided until the investigation is complete".

Todd
 
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