Flatcar, 85 Foot, TOFC

History: A flatcar (US) (also flat car (US) or flat wagon (UIC)) is a piece of railroad (US) or railway (non-US) rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck mounted on a pair of trucks (US) or bogies (UK), one at each end containing four or six wheels. Occasionally, flat cars designed to carry extra heavy or extra large loads are mounted on a pair (or rarely, more) of bogeys under each end . The deck of the car can be wood or steel, and the sides of the deck can include pockets for stakes or tie-down points to secure loads. Flatcars designed for carrying machinery have sliding chain assemblies recessed in the deck.

Flatcars are used for loads that are too large or cumbersome to load in enclosed cars such as boxcars. They are also often used to transport intermodal containers (shipping containers) or trailers as part of intermodal freight transport shipping.

TOFC (Trailer On Flat Car, a.k.a. piggy-back) cars came is various length to accommodate usually two trailers: 50' for two 24' trailers, 75' for two 35' trailers, 85' for two 40' trailers and 89' for two 45' trailers.

The first 85’ flat was introduced by Pullman Standard in December 1958 and was followed by ACF in 1959 and Bethlehem Steel in 1960. These cars became a necessity to continue accommodate 2 trailers per car after the Congress considered the Interstate Highway Act and trailer sizes increased to 40’ in length, leading to obsolescence of the then 75' flat cars (for 2 35' trailers). The 85' flat themselves were late superseded by 89' flat in the 1980's that were designed for even longer trailers.

From Wikipedia
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