Autoracks for something other than cars...

[dhaugh]

I was wondering if there are places where autoracks are used for something other than your basic cars or pickups. For example, in Forest City, Iowa, I'm told that Winnebago brings in partial Fords (I think) with which to build some of their campers. I'm looking for others of that nature, or anything else unusual. Dave

[TerryC]

This might not be the best place to post this, but oh well.
If you have a junk yard near the tracks some autoracks could be loaded with junk cars and hauled off to a factory to be melted down. There would be no need for a roof or sides on the autoracks since graffiti and vandals do not pose a significant threat to the cargo. The cars would have to be dragged or loaded on by a fork lift since the engine would be missing or dead. I heard that this was attempted at some point, but I do not know what became of it.

keep asking keep learning

[shortlinerailroader]

I think it would make more sense to stack them in gondolas.

[SSW9389]

Bilevel racks are often used to haul small tactical military vehicles.

[shortlinerailroader]

The Automax articulated cars can be configured to haul box trucks (U-Haul, Ryder, etc.) on two levels.

[rdganthracite]

On the East Coast there is the seasonal movement of Golf Carts to Florida for the winter and to the North East for the Summer. They are normally moved in auto racks.

In the '60s and '70s the golf carts were moved in 86 foot double deck cattle cars which were otherwise mostly idle by that time.

[dhaugh]

Some interesting things happening out there... what about semi cabs, boats, or "5th wheel" trailers?

[The S.P. Caboose]

Along the old SP now UP coastline there's lots of auto racks travelling by. The Oxnard local, I believe it's now called, pulls locks of auto racks between Gemco and Oxnard. The Ventura County Railroad handles this traffic between Oxnard and Port Hueneme. All kinds of vehicles.

[SRS125]

I read somewhere about some Auto racks being completeley striped down and being used to handle trailers and shipping containers and being rebuilt back up for auto hauling when the demand to move mass auto shipments calls.

I would also think that maybe even large airlarge plane parts could be moved in an Auto Rack if the decks are removed?

[dhaugh]

I've seen, maybe 2 or 3 times in a dozen years, Boeing parts, including nosecones of jets on big flatbeds in Minnesota. Other Boeing parts are covered up by a large 'house' like structure on top of the flatbad.