Well Hole Flat Cars

Dose anyone still use Well Hole Flat Cars anymore? I came across a few photos in a Penn Central Book on freight cars but have not seen any outhers more resent photos.

I'm tempted to say no (outside of historic/preservation usage, of course)

1st, the AAR designination of Well-Hole flat cars is interesting in and of itself:

"FW" -- Flat well-hole car for special transportation of plate-glass, etc. This car is a flat car with hole in middle to enable lading to be dropped down on account of clearance limits (1/17-4/99).

Plate glass? I can't image that going in any thing but containers (or maybe boxcars) if by rail - well, maybe in special packages on regular flats, but no need for well-hole.
Otherwise, a lot of times transformer transport is mentioned, but that could go as easily via depressed center flatcars, and there's a decent number of those in revenue service nowadays, so again no need for well-holes - actually, I was wondering what advantage did well-holes offer vs depressed center - was it soley a construction/structural strength issue, when I found this cool tidbit (and it does involve glass):

March 25, 1936 The 200-inch mirror blank for the Palomar observatory begins its cross- country trip aboard a well-hole flat car [NYC 499010]. At the time it was shipped it was the single most valuable item ever shipped by rail. Railroad Vice-Presidents accompanied the special train to make sure there were no problems. As it traveled in the well-hole flatcar, the mirror was only inches above the rails.

(from this website) - I wonder if the sides were used to protect this kind of load (the mirror had to be secured anyway so it wouldn't shift around in transit, was having sides a plus in this instance?)

humm intresting.

Hmmm. . . .interesting.

I googled it and came up with a few interesting things. . .

http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiag ... &sz=sm&fr=

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Thank you for your patience. Otto has swung by and seen the offending post. The thread is again unlocked.

John_Perkowski wrote:MODERATOR'S NOTE:
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did someone post something that should not been posted here??

scharnhorst wrote:

John_Perkowski wrote:MODERATOR'S NOTE:
Thank you for your patience. Otto has swung by and seen the offending post. The thread is again unlocked.

did someone post something that should not been posted here??

I think advertising spam in a few threads.
Shame, because I'd like to read more about well-hole flatcar operations, and wellhole vs. depressed center flat usage, myself...

No post with content was removed. Only some malicious spam.

If you see spam, hit the triangle warning button and PM me. We'll take care of it

they do seem to be a vary intresting car. The only color photos that I have come across are in a Penn Central Guide to Fraight and Passenger equipment. The pics show cars moveing big steel rings in them.