Department of Defense Loads

5"/54-caliber MK-42 Gun Turret Load

I first saw this load in Henry Maywald's book, Classic Freight Cars – Loaded flats and gons. Great book with lots of photos of loads. Then I saw the photo below on Ebay (sold for much higher than my bid), I saved a copy for future reference. Then the article, "U.S. Navy Gun Deck Transport Car" by Mont Switzer appeared in the October 2018, Railroad Model Craftsman. Mont's article gave a source for the gun turrets, they are made in resin by Chad Boas. Chad does not have a web site, but you can order turrets directly from him through email(chadboas at yahoo.com). These turrets are for 5"/54-caliber MK-42 guns. Flatcars are used to move the guns from destroyers in for repair at the naval base, back to be rebuilt.

Flat with turret load

Resin cast turret

Turret on flatcar

Delivered

Missile Launcher Load

Saw a photo on ebay where a missile launcher was being transported on on an DODX eight axle depressed center flat car. This is a launcher for a RIM-2 Terrier surface to air missile. It could launch two missiles at a time. Got motivate to build this car and load when I found the missile launcher on Shapeways. Shipping platform was built along with FMC decals. Missile launcher is shipped on a four axle DODX flatcar.

Missile launcher on depressed flatcar

3D printed missile launcher

Being delivered

M140 Spent Fuel Cask

Nuclear powered Navy ships and submarines have different size fuel assembles.  Different size casks are used for shipping these spent fuel assemblies.  The specialized eight axle well car  and  M140 cask are available on Shapeways.  Fill the body with the appropriated weights, paint, decals. then add  trucks and couplers.       

M140 cask on well car

Completed model 

Painted and ready for decals

In service

M160 Spent Fuel Cask

This M160 cask load and frame were created based on the article "DODX Flat Car" by Thornton Waite.  The article was published in the September 1996 Mainline Modeler. This cask and frame rode on an eight axle DODX flatcars. 

M160 cask on flat car

Completed model 

Painted - ready for  decals

In service

Trident Missiles

The Trident missile body was shipped separately from the warheads. The missile body was shipped in a tube on a DODX flat car. Both the tube and shipping frame were designed and 3D printed. They will be shipped using 6 axle DODX flat cars. These Navy Material Cars were produced by Fruit Grower Express and the flat car model is by Spring Mills Depot. These flat cars and missile loads were produced in N Scale by Micro Trains.

Model 

Ready for paint and decals 

Ready for shipment

White Train

I became interest in this train when I acquire a photo of the ATMX 520 car. In the August 2001 issues of Mainline Modeler there was an article called "ATMX Covered Hoppers, a special car for nuclear shipments" that provided more information and measurements . These cars were used to transport nuclear warhead, and were accompained by guard cars. The combination of the ATMX covered hoppers and teh TSSX guard cars ran in special trains. 

The car is 60' long so the printed model will be placed  on a 60' Roundhouse flat car.  Plano roofwalks will be placed on top of the hatch covers.       

These cars ran in a special train, that was known as the "white train".  More information on the White Train can be found on on the Amarillo Railroad Museum website. They have both the ATMX and TSSX guard cars.

ATMX 520

Rendering of the model 

Initial print

Completed model

Nuclear Component Shipments

I became interested in this train when I acquire a photo of the ATMX 520 car. In the August 2001 issues of Mainline Modeler there was an article called "ATMX Covered Hoppers, a special car for nuclear shipments" that provided more information and measurements. These cars were used to transport nuclear warhead, and were accompanied by guard cars. The combination of the ATMX covered hoppers and the TSSX guard cars ran in special trains.

The car is 60' long so the printed model will be placed on a 60' Roundhouse flat car.

More information on the White Train can be found on on the Amarillo Railroad Museum website. They have both the ATMX and TSSX guard cars.

ATMX 520

Rendering of the model 

Initial print

Second side