The forgotten Cargo Revolution!

[@zJoriz]

What's also funny is that shipping containers are slowly shapeshifting again. For example, there are 45ft containers, that don't fit on much of the rolling stock. When I see these in my country they're either occupying an entire 60ft car, most commonly a 2x45ft articulated car (which is almost indistinguishable from the 2x40ft equivalent), or I suppose they could fit on the newer 80ft cars. Then there's the mess that's tank containers. Some stay neatly within 20ft, others have a 20ft frame but stick out at one end (22.5ft, I'm guessing?), still others are 30ft. By contrast, Japan seems to rely largely on 12ft containers (5 fit on a 60ft car). En then we haven't mentioned heights yet.

[@steelbridgemodels]

Indeed, there are countless subsystems and measurements nowadays, often only partially interchangeable. Many of them actually stem from the road. When the maritime containers were firstly introduced, 40 ft. was the typical length of a semi-trailer. Over the years, trucks have become larger and the 40 ft. containers therefore inefficient, so the 45 ft. containers are trying to combat that issue, despite creating a mess everywhere else. It's a similar story with the swap bodies, which a very common in Germany. They fit onto the same mountings as a 20 ft. container does, but stick out significantly on both sides.

[@EmperorJake]

Interestingly, the Japanese railways devised a similar system of small 11-foot containers in the late 50s. The difference is they're still in widespread use today, as a slightly larger 12ft version

[@slatethesnepsol1198]

This system is still being used today or at least I'm pretty sure it's the same system, I work for DB in the Netherlands. They're used in combination with small bright yellow tanks for very hazardous cargo. i very rarely see them, but i do have some picture so if you can tell me how to contact you I'll be more than happy to share them if you're interested.

[@steelbridgemodels]

Thank you very much for this valuable first-hand info! While researching, I even came across some bright yellow tanks, probably the same you're referring to, but wasn't able to verify, if they were still in service, or not. So, I'd love to see the photos you have! You can contact me through my business email on my about page.

[@michdem100]

Wow, this seams like such a good idea for city supply. I wonder if we could see in future a return of some sort of a medium or small inter-modal container. Have a train deliver them to a city and then small trucks or even cargo bikes would carry them around to final destinations. Not to mention the possibilities for cargo trams.

[@WolfGamerBohumin]

There is already something like this called innofreight.

[@michdem100]

@@WolfGamerBohumin like that, but even smaller. Like, for even a Key truck to be able to handle it easily. Are you from Bohumin btw?

[@WolfGamerBohumin]

@@michdem100 Well, they have containers with holes for forklifts forks so there is an option for easy manipulation. BTW Yes, I'm from Bohumín (CZ).

[@michdem100]

@@WolfGamerBohumin oh, that's cool. Then I'd say it'd be great to have something like that widely used in Europe. Cool, I'm from Katowice, so we live very close to each other :D

[@arnehurnik]

I just looked up what a kei truck bed looks like. It's about as long as a van is wide and just slightly more than half as wide as a big truck. Now having half width containers with a two meter or 6.5ft length seems awkward BUT what if we go for a different approach. Pallet sized boxes. Standards vary very annoyingly but most of them are around 100x120cm. You need a bit of breathing room anyway, which is why 45ft containers can be built a little wider than normal to fit euro pallets too. So in summary, we could build metal boxes with bolts on the corners that also work as pallets.

[@peterforden5917]

I used to drive for SVELAST a company owned apparently by Swedish Railways (S.J.) with their version of this system. Their system used a 10 or 12 foot container (a shortened version of a standard shipping container) and an 8 Liter Scania lorry with a hydraulic system that we were told actually cost more than the lorry itself !there were three types of lorry an experimental one whose hydraulic system seemed to commit suicide on a weekly basis, but when it was working it could offload its container either on the ground, or as usual onto a skeleton bay where the consignee could unload by Swelast and load the container themselves ready for pickup by a Svelast lorry, or the usual type, in Stockholm anyway, was a single container lorry which could pickup or deliver its container to a skeleton framework or a railway waggon, the yard the waggons were 'parked' were wide enough between he tracks for a lorry to drive along side and then reverse up to the waggon the driver then using a control to raise or lower the container , after unlocking or locking it!) this usually took a driver roughly a week to learn( it being important not to deviate MORE than 1 or 2 degrees, otherwise the hydraulic drive-chain could trough a fit and self destruct ( in fairness to Scania I never heard of that happening in the three years I piloted my chariots around Greater Stockholm,) the final type of unit was a tractor trailer unit, the tractor being the same as a singleton except that it had the capability of towing a trailer with two containers aboard. this trailer was called a 'Karosel' (carosel :) ) due to both slides the containers were resting upon rotating so the tractor unit could shuffle his loads about to his or her content, only on very rare occasions did I ever have to leave the cab as apart from loading and unloading everything was done in the cab by push-button (except paperwork)or when those loading the container made some inexplicable mistake such as a certain Kitchen outfitters loading half ton slabs of marble on TOP of the kitchenware resulting in the ability of the driver near reaching lightspeed as the wretched thing slid out of the container( you didn't get fat working for Svelast! or the amazing loading of toys in boxes on top of several hundred balls ranging in size from footballs to beachballs with the amazing loading of toys in bo on a particular windy day I had to catch them all, much to the amusements of what seemed to be half the kids in Stockholms , Bromma district after I opened the containe not knowing the loaders in Malmo had apperently loaded the container upside down, my remarks on this cluster(F) by phone to those responsible near caused a major strike my subsequent appology near caused neo strike 2 aaah those were the days :) I loved appart from screw ups, this system noone knew why in a country so dedicated to the environment the Swedish Government decided to scrap the system to sell the routes to ASG (road transport) when a train of 40 waggons reqired Up to 60 lorries to do a similar load carrying for considerable distances(Malmö to Haparanda for ex ,is 1364 km by road ) or a two day drive, longer if its bad winter. and there are no traffic jams by ril...oh Well that was the 80's fo you..

[@koiyujo1543]

it's amazing how this system was the predecessor of the TEU container germans are very smart and creative hard working people, the fact they made this is amazing idk how this system isn't talked about more and can we just appreciate how they paint their trains red and black on their steam locomotives gives a sense of power, strength, reliability, and good quality with their colors even if that's not always the case the way of how their painted is beautiful in a art form of a way

[@briancooper562]

The developed size of containers depended on where they could be used and that is dependent on the age of the buildings. The age of the horse limited entry openings and street widths to 2 horse wide in most cases possibly 4 with passing traffic. Also height being limited to how a cart was loaded, from the ground, from a dock, or from above, and also its load. A cart of hay or straw would be higher then one for iron goods, full barrels, etc..

[@connormclernon26]

Seems very similar to what the British were trying to do prior to just adopting the containerization done by the US

[@steelbridgemodels]

Indeed, the core idea of the British containers and conflats is very much the same, it's the implementation, however, where both systems differ from each other.

[@zJoriz]

@@steelbridgemodels Sounds like a neat idea for another video ;)

[@Lumberjackk]

DAF manufactured special tipping trailers for these containers too, so they could be brought from house to house as well

[@TB9988]

In recent years I have seen the tank version used by breweries. Even though not for rail transport but to supply beer stands at festivals. As far as I know they were only transported by road.

[@johnlowther4068]

Great video. Thanks for explaining this system. I have a Lgb car that has these. I had no idea what they were for.

[@RoamingAdhocrat]

3:30 yo dawg, I heard you like trains, so I put trains on your train so you can train as you train 😄

[@engineerskalinera]

I suppose these are sort of a predecessor to Innofreight's ore and liquid containers.

[@steelbridgemodels]

There were some prototype containers for the Pa system, which were in fact very similar to the Innofreight containers, especially in terms of size.

[@engineerskalinera]

@@steelbridgemodels interesting... fun fact, in Slovenia us railfans refer to Innofreight containers as LEGOs sometimes

[@marijnstreinenpagina9111]

the design of the container system you talkt about is a design by daf the compeny now nown for there trucks

[@dwegmull]

Where do you get the information and drawings to create those beautifully 3D models?

[@steelbridgemodels]

I will answer this in my upcoming Q&A, as I get asked this question a lot!

[@milchbubisports]

❤

[@antonberglund117]

This must be where Swedish Railways (SJ) got their idea to start their Csam-system: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXKydJZqmruWZqMsi=UKlKGqCc8NyDC4FC

[@outdoorfrenzy]

Go figure, a German talking about loading up trains.

[@deralte650]

Ich würde den Film lieber mit deutschem Ton sehen, statt mit solchem künstlichen Englisch.