AZL - 906509-1 - Container Car, Articulated Well, Gunderson Maxi-Stack I - Burlington Northern Santa Fe - 237330

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 BNSF Railway (reporting mark BNSF) is one of the largest freight railroad networks in North America, second to the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) (its primary competitor for Western U.S. freight), and is one of seven North American Class I railroads. It has 48,000 employees, 32,500 miles (52,300 km) of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that provide high-speed links between the western and eastern United States. BNSF trains traveled over 169 million miles in 2010, more than any other North American railroad.[2] The BNSF and UP have a duopoly on all transcontinental freight rail lines in the Western U.S. and share trackage rights over thousands of miles of track.

According to corporate press releases, the BNSF Railway is among the top transporters of intermodal freight in North America. It also hauls bulk cargo. For instance, the railroad hauls enough coal to generate roughly ten percent of the electricity produced in the United States.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, the railroad is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

The creation of BNSF started with the formation of a holding company, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation on September 22, 1995. This new holding company then purchased the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (often called the "Santa Fe") and Burlington Northern Railroad, and formally merged the railways into the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway on December 31, 1996. On January 24, 2005, the railroad's name was officially changed to "BNSF Railway," using the initials of its original name.

In 1999, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and the Canadian National Railway announced their intention to merge and form a new corporation entitled North American Railways to be headquartered in Montreal, Canada. The United States' Surface Transportation Board (STB) placed a 15-month moratorium on all rail mergers, which ended this merger.

On November 3, 2009, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway announced it would acquire the remaining 77.4 percent of BNSF it did not already own for $100 per share in cash and stock - a deal valued at $44 billion. The company is investing an estimated $34 billion in BNSF and acquiring $10 billion in debt. On February 12, 2010, shareholders of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation voted in favor of the acquisition.

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.