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 Posted - November 30 2017 : 10:23:34 PM
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Good evening everyone,
I have a question specifically related to how piggyback trailers were loaded onto flat cars, on real-life railroads, and hopefully, someone can please answer it. 
Were piggyback trailers ever loaded sideways without machinery/cranes (like from ramp/dock directly onto flat car?) All the pictures I found on the internet, both models and in reality, showed loading ramps vertically positioned in relation to the track (see below)-
Essentially, is this possible, for tractor-trailers to pull up and load their trailers horizontally so to speak, onto flat cars?
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
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Edited by - RP model railroads on November 30 2017 10:25:10 PM
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Posted - December 01 2017 : 11:24:15 AM
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Technically, given the width of the ramps, not really, as in shoving a
trailer to a 90 degree angle would require the tractor to swing outward
at a 45 degree angle, over the edge of the platform.
In the current position, the driver of the blue tractor is going to have
one heck of a time trying to make his way down the ramp.
However, the scene itself is suggestive of a unloading/loading
scenario and since much of model railroading is an illusion, I
find it most satisfactory.
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Posted - December 01 2017 : 1:49:30 PM
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Yeah, that's what I figured in regards to loading trailers onto piggyback trailers, but hey, instead, I can just have it serve as a loading dock, for tractor trailers to pull-up, back-up to load freight into box cars, as well as receive lumber from the York Sawmill & Lumber Co.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rp_model_railroads/
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Posted - December 01 2017 : 3:53:20 PM
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In Tycoland, reality is optional! Actually, an O27 friend had a street scene in where the
street was only suggested by a lane that deadended from nowhere to the other side of the
town- nowhere, and as a suggestion of a street it was quite effective.
In the proto photo, one I've never seen, it would seem that great care had to be taken to
load the trailers in a certain order if they required a certain order of delivery. Also, backing
a trailer down that length of flats must have taken a certain eye hand coordination.
I know from experience that those tandem wheel sets are not locked into a super tight
alignment; they swivel and twist just enough to make backing up in a straight line quite
challenging. There is a bit of slack action in those tandems.
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Posted - December 01 2017 : 6:19:56 PM
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LOL, yeah, I might still mess around a bit and load piggybacks horizontally -- talk about living on the 'edge' 
Yeah, I would agree that great care would have to be taken to properly load trailers onto piggyback cars...especially in backing up perfectly straight 0_0.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rp_model_railroads/
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