Modern times / modern equipment

[Brakie]

I had thought of this when I saw the thread about the "interesting" track arrangement at the produce terminal. The tracks are set up to allow loading/unloading boxcars and reefers through the cars on adjacent tracks by lining up the doors on the spotted cars. If this terminal was built in 1930, it would be based on 36' reefers, would it not? The 4 foor increase in car length when the 40' reefer became the de facto standard would probably be still somewhat workable... but definitely not 50' cars. So the terminal would be forced to use certain tracks only, ripping up the others, unload less cars, or rebuild the loading facility.

Welcome to the real world of railroading.

Reefers came in 57' and now the behemoth 64 and 73 foot Trinity refrigerated boxcar.

Sadly older companies had a choice to make..Rebuild their docks and lay heavier rail or turn to trucks and most found it was better economically to use trucks to include intermodal..

However,modeling modern times on a ISL requires basic knowledge and a overall study since there are guidelines to follow.