AZL - 906505-2 - Container Car, Articulated Well, Gunderson Maxi-Stack I - Southern Pacific - 2435

Specific Item Information: Gunderson introduced their MAXI-I articulated cars in 1988, with the first run lasting until 1990. During that time, 270 cars were built for railroads such as the Southern Pacific , Trailer Train, Maersk and Rail-Bridge. The cars could carry two 20’ containers or a single 40’ container in their well. A larger 48’ or even 52’ container could be positioned on the lower container. With the high demand for interrelation carriers to move 40’ containers, the railroads revised the design. In 2000, the BNSF placed new orders for these cars. Production of these cars continues to this day.
The cars feature metal chassis with etched metal details and add-on parts. The cars also feature AZL’s Auto-Latch™ couplers and roller bearing trucks.
Containers are sold separately. The packaging includes slots for ten 40’ containers.

Model Information: Gunderson introduced their MAXI-I articulated cars in 1988, with the first run lasting until 1990. During that time, 270 cars were built for railroads such as the Southern Pacific , Trailer Train, Maersk and Rail-Bridge. The cars could carry two 20’ containers or a single 40’ container in their well. A larger 48’ or even 52’ container could be positioned on the lower container. With the high demand for interrelation carriers to move 40’ containers, the railroads revised the design. In 2000, the BNSF placed new orders for these cars. Production of these cars continues to this day. The cars feature metal chassis with etched metal details and add-on parts. The cars also feature AZL’s Auto-Latch couplers and roller bearing trucks.

Prototype History: Like its cousin, the Gunderson Maxi-Stack IV, the Maxi-Stack I is a multi-unit well car designed to carry two stacked intermodal shipping containers. While its base well is 40', it can accept larger containers such as 45', 48' and even 53' in the top position, making the car a versatile addition to a railroad's intermodal services. The Maxi-Stack I is a five-unit well car, unlike its 53' cousin Maxi-Stack IV that is a three-unit car, giving each car a greater capacity even though the individual wells are a smaller size. Introduced in 1988, the Maxi-Stack I is still available in Gunderson (now GBX) catalog in a modernized version as of the early 2020's.

Road Name History: The Southern Pacific Transportation Company (reporting mark SP), earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually called the Southern Pacific or (from the railroad's initials) Espee, was an American Class I railroad. It was absorbed in 1988 by the company that controlled the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and eight years later became part of the Union Pacific Railroad.

The railroad was founded as a land holding company in 1865, later acquiring the Central Pacific Railroad by lease. By 1900 the Southern Pacific Company was a major railroad system incorporating many smaller companies, such as the Texas and New Orleans Railroad and Morgan's Louisiana and Texas Railroad. It extended from New Orleans through Texas to El Paso, across New Mexico and through Tucson, to Los Angeles, through most of California, including San Francisco and Sacramento. Central Pacific lines extended east across Nevada to Ogden, Utah, and reached north through Oregon to Portland. Other subsidiaries eventually included the St. Louis Southwestern Railway (Cotton Belt), the Northwestern Pacific Railroad at 328 miles (528 km), the 1,331 miles (2,142 km) Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico, and a variety of 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge routes.

In 1929 SP/T&NO operated 13848 route-miles not including Cotton Belt, whose purchase of the Golden State Route circa 1980 nearly doubled its size to 3,085 miles (4,965 km), bringing total SP/SSW mileage to around 13,508 miles (21,739 km).

By the 1980s route mileage had dropped to 10,423 miles (16,774 km), mainly due to the pruning of branch lines. In 1988 the Southern Pacific was taken over by D&RGW parent Rio Grande Industries. The combined railroad kept the Southern Pacific name due to its brand recognition in the railroad industry and with customers of both constituent railroads. Along with the addition of the SPCSL Corporation route from Chicago to St. Louis, the total length of the D&RGW/SP/SSW system was 15,959 miles (25,684 km).

By 1996 years of financial problems had dropped SP's mileage to 13,715 miles (22,072 km), and it was taken over by the Union Pacific Railroad.

Read more on Wikipedia.

Brand/Importer Information: AZL is the leader in North American Z scale locomotives and rolling stock. Since 2000, AZL has released a vast variety of freight, passenger and locomotives. AZL continues to push the boundaries of Z scale with amazing details and incredible performance. No matter if you are looking to run steam, or the most modern diesels, AZL has something for you.