INDEX

On the main Schnabel page:

On the Schnabel Continuation Page 0:

On the Schnabel Continuation Page 1:

On the Schnabel Continuation Page 2:

On the Schnabel Continuation Page 3:

On the Schnabel Continuation Page 4:

On this Schnabel Continuation Page 5:

On the Schnabel CEBX 800 Page:

On the Road Loads page:

On Road Loads Page 2:

On the Road Loads Page 3:

Something has to lift these giant loads; see Big Cranes.

Jump to SB,III's RAILROAD Page for a goodly set of RR links

  and to SB,III's MODEL RAILROAD Page for a goodly set of model RR links (yea, verily, forsooth!).

Curving is a sort of obvious challenge, little different than on smaller multi-truck cars with span bolsters, just far more complex.  The only major difference is that the load can be shifted sideways both to improve balance and to clear obstacles.  This latter feature is also useful on tangent track to clear obstacles.  It is accomplished hydraulically by pivoting an intermediate span bolster horizontally:

(06 Feb 2012 diagram and © 2012 by S. Berliner, III - all rights reserved)
Schnabel Car Horizontal Shifting Geometry

(06 Feb 2012 diagram and © 2012 by S. Berliner, III - all rights reserved)
Schnabel Car Vertically Curved Track Geometry
(Changes in Elevation)

The worst problem of all, however, is twisting or wracking of the load.  This occurs, again, because of the extreme length of the whole car, especially when carrying a long load.  When entering a super-elevated section, the front axles are well into the super-elevation while the rearmost axles are still on level track.  Accomodation for twisting/wracking is made by lateral vertical pivoting of the center plates on the bolsters.  On cars with many trucks, the twist is taken out gradually from truck to truck (and bolster to bolster) while the load remains level:

(06 Feb 2012 diagram and © 2012 by S. Berliner, III - all rights reserved)
Schnabel Car Super-Elevated Track Geometry
(Twisting/Wracking)

All these complex geometries are adjusted constantly and simultaneously by many hydraulic cylinders, all controlled by exceedingly complex computer programs.  Inch-by-inch surveys of the right-of-way are made long before a route can be selected and traversed.  In spite of all this sophistication, the cars are walked through tight spots with several observers alongside, up top, on the ground, and in the cupolas of the dedicated cabooses that accompany the shipments.