Lately, I've noticed TOFC spine cars (maily with FedEx trailers) bringing up the rear of BNSF intermodal trains going through town and so I thought I'd try to model something similar in LEGO. Unfortunately, I seem to be drawing a blank in LEGO Digital Designer.

I'm basing my design off a shortened trailer from 3221: LEGO City Truck / 7848: Toys "R" Us City Truck.

As you can see, I just shortened it by one six-stud section.

TTX even has some great digrams on their web site under Railcars For Sale.

TOFC (pdf)

TOFC/COFC (pdf)

For the spine car itself, the shared bogie from 10170: TTX Intermodal Double-Stack Car is my go-to design when sharing bogies. I can't help but use 6087: Bottom 2x5x2 1/3 to lower the middle section as a true "flat" car design seems to put the trailer too high.

Any input for a TOFC design?

Cheers from Claremore, Oklahoma USA!

Dave

on this video by Shuppiluliumas is one

EDIT:

found another one of Cale Leiphart

Edited February 19, 201312 yr by UrbanErwin

I'm suprised nobody suggested you check out the old LGauge site: http://lgauge.com/ It hasn't been updated recently but it has no less than 5 designs for intermodal equipement, 4 with complete instructions. Maybe it's just a sign of how old I'm getting that I know this site...

Dan-147

Thanks, I never heard of that site before. Giving me some great ideas.

Funny, I am just building my very own. Thanks for the links, I have to check them for inspirations.

Thanks for the links! I'd forgotten about L Gauge... A combination of the Front Runner and Spine Car seems to be what I'm after.

The PennLUG cars look nice but I they model in 8-wide and I'm trying to stay with 6-wide. Those are some nice looking trains though!

Here are a couple of screenshoots of what I've done... Rough, I know!

Hopefully the screenshots clarify what I meant earlier by lowering the middle section.

Cheers from Claremore, Oklahoma USA!

Dave

Very nice idea ...very well realized!