Brawa Megafrets Super High Cube AAE Cargo Ag, CH

[70000 Britannia]

I have 3 sets of Brawa Megafret articulated intermodal wagons: Sffggmrrss. I think the containers might be referred to as Super High Cube (3240mm containers) - the wagons are operated by AAE Cargo Ag, CH.

 

Given that the boxes are at least 10.63 feet high - I have 2 questions:

 

1. How extensively are these super hi-cubes to be found in Europe - any major routes?

2. Would the proposed DBSchenker usage of Channel Tunnel and HS1 likely involve wagons carrying these boxes?

 

Any answers would be appreciated. They are excellent models by the way.

[Glorious NSE]

I have 3 sets of Brawa Megafret articulated intermodal wagons: Sffggmrrss. I think the containers might be referred to as Super High Cube (3240mm containers) - the wagons are operated by AAE Cargo Ag, CH.

 

Given that the boxes are at least 10.63 feet high - I have 2 questions:

 

1. How extensively are these super hi-cubes to be found in Europe - any major routes?

2. Would the proposed DBSchenker usage of Channel Tunnel and HS1 likely involve wagons carrying these boxes?

 

Any answers would be appreciated. They are excellent models by the way.

 

I've never seen any boxes like those models in the UK in any capacity, and some of the liveries on them I think are a little doubtful for boxes to that spec (i'd doubt that any of the "deep sea" shippers have boxes that would be so heavily restricted in their usage for example)

 

The wagons themselves are fine for tunnel services to the UK though, DBS (and EWS before them) already have them in use doing that, they are also the wagon type being used on the new Stobart flow - added to that there was a set mixed in with the Multifrets on the Norfolk Line intermodal as well when I saw it last - short answer is they are a fairly common wagon type through the tunnel, but you might want to get some more relevant boxes.

[Fat Controller]

I've never seen any boxes like those models in the UK in any capacity, and some of the liveries on them I think are a little doubtful for boxes to that spec (i'd doubt that any of the "deep sea" shippers have boxes that would be so heavily restricted in their usage for example)

 

The wagons themselves are fine for tunnel services to the UK though, DBS (and EWS before them) already have them in use doing that, they are also the wagon type being used on the new Stobart flow - added to that there was a set mixed in with the Multifrets on the Norfolk Line intermodal as well when I saw it last - short answer is they are a fairly common wagon type through the tunnel, but you might want to get some more relevant boxes.

The proportions of the boxes look very much like those of the non-ISO boxes used by Transfesa on their Mega-Combi services, which run from various directions towards Paris- La Chapelle- see this link for photos:-

http://www.transfesa.com/En_opc52.htm

The wagons are nice, but very expensive, even by European standards (they were about 85 Euros when they came out).A French trader to whom I spoke said that the Bachmann FIAs were much better sellers, even with the discrepancy in scale.

[70000 Britannia]

I've never seen any boxes like those models in the UK in any capacity, and some of the liveries on them I think are a little doubtful for boxes to that spec (i'd doubt that any of the "deep sea" shippers have boxes that would be so heavily restricted in their usage for example)

 

The wagons themselves are fine for tunnel services to the UK though, DBS (and EWS before them) already have them in use doing that, they are also the wagon type being used on the new Stobart flow - added to that there was a set mixed in with the Multifrets on the Norfolk Line intermodal as well when I saw it last - short answer is they are a fairly common wagon type through the tunnel, but you might want to get some more relevant boxes.

 

Thanks Martyn - yes, come to think of it I have seen the wagon on intermodals through Preston but certainly have never seen the boxes.

However, I've since found a reference to the DB Cargo Continental boxes and they are in fact correctly represented in the model - see project TelliBox (EC Framework Programme: Advanced Intermodal Freight Transport) -

section 3.4.1 which details them and has an image. They are known as Megaboxes and are a combination of ISO containers and swap bodies in that they are whole metal boxes supported on four legs. The DB-MEGABOX has external dimensions (LxWxH) 7.82m x 2.60m x 3.29m (10' 9"). So they do exist but, whilst they can also be transported by sea, they won't be found on road transport as they are too high.

[Glorious NSE]

Ta Dave, the liveries i'd seen the model in were I think Hanjin and Hapag Lloyd, which i'd have said were very doubtful.

[70000 Britannia]

The proportions of the boxes look very much like those of the non-ISO boxes used by Transfesa on their Mega-Combi services, which run from various directions towards Paris- La Chapelle- see this link for photos:-

http://www.transfesa.com/En_opc52.htm

The wagons are nice, but very expensive, even by European standards (they were about 85 Euros when they came out).A French trader to whom I spoke said that the Bachmann FIAs were much better sellers, even with the discrepancy in scale.

 

Thanks Brian - they do look similar to the Transfesa example. However, as I've now established, they are a hybrid between ISO containers and swap bodies.

 

They certainly are expensive - I found links to Gaugemaster and MG Sharp and they have them at ??78/77 each. Fortunately, Tim at Arcadia in Shaw has held 3 of them at ??69 for the last 18 months, and I've gradually nibbled away at his stock and got the lot now.

[70000 Britannia]

Ta Dave, the liveries i'd seen the model in were I think Hanjin and Hapag Lloyd, which i'd have said were very doubtful.

 

Ah, I see more around what you were getting at now - that'll be the Hanjin/P&O/Maersk carrying wagon reference #2302, which appears to have lower height hi-cubes than the #2300 I'd bought.

[Glorious NSE]

^{Hadn't realised they had two container tools in use, the ones on 2302 look okay on height but the container style is nothing like modern deep sea boxes, which is I presume what they are meant to be by the liveries - the Hapag Lloyd and Evergreen on super-high cubes on the 2300 flat are even worse though.}

[70000 Britannia]

I've found a further reference to the Deutsche Bundesbahn DB-MegaBox in the X-Rail website for Nov 2001 - so they've been around for a while. A summary:

 

Continental AG tyres manufactured in Slovakian Puchov are transported by DB Cargo to Continental's Hannover warehouse in swap bodies of the type DB-Megabox, specially developed for the transport of tyres.

 

Two weekly trains leave Puchov at 18.00 and arrive within 24 hours in Hannover after having crossed 2 borders from Puchov. DB Cargo coordinates the roundtrips in cooperation with the Czech railway (CD) and the Slovakian railway (ZSR).

 

Given the article is 8 years old, does anyone know if they are transported on other routes through Germany?

[Fat Controller]

I've found a further reference to the Deutsche Bundesbahn DB-MegaBox in the X-Rail website for Nov 2001 - so they've been around for a while. A summary:

 

Continental AG tyres manufactured in Slovakian Puchov are transported by DB Cargo to Continental's Hannover warehouse in swap bodies of the type DB-Megabox, specially developed for the transport of tyres.

 

Two weekly trains leave Puchov at 18.00 and arrive within 24 hours in Hannover after having crossed 2 borders from Puchov. DB Cargo coordinates the roundtrips in cooperation with the Czech railway (CD) and the Slovakian railway (ZSR).

 

Given the article is 8 years old, does anyone know if they are transported on other routes through Germany?

I would not be surprised to hear of similar flows to various motor manufacturers- indeed, the location where I've noted the Transfesa equivalent is close to one of Citroen's main plants in northern Paris. Note also that Transfesa are part-owned by DBS..