An Extremely Creative Idea
VW and the German Federal Railroad developed an extremely creative idea, when they concluded an agreement in 1959 for transport by rail of motors and transmissions between various VW production sites. The solution consisted of standardized containers, which could be transported on close-coupled type Rm(r)so 31 double units of rebuilt stake cars. They now had only flat superstructures with wood floors, on which the transport frames for the containers were mounted. Six containers fit on each double unit, which were filled with either 36 motors or 96 transmissions. In 1966, the container transport cars for motors and transmissions ran between Hannover and Wolfsburg, Emden and Ingolstadt as well as with the same destinations and later also to Brussels from Kassel-Baunatal. Starting in 1970 came the additional destinations of Salzgitter, Neckarsulm, Stuttgart, and Osnabrück (Karman).
Prototype: German Federal Railroad (DB) type Laabs double unit gondola car for transporting containers (coupled type Klms 440, former Rmrso 31), leased to Volkswagen, Inc. (VW). Version without a hand brake, with container transport frames and VW transport containers as a load. The cars look as they did around 1971.
Highlights
The container transport cars have truss rods and different identification numbers. They are loaded with six VW transport containers with different container numbers. Total length over the buffers approximately 28.2 cm / 11-1/8". DC wheelset E700580. Trix Express wheelset E258259.
