CSX Iron Highway

Does anyone know whatever happened to CSX's Iron Highway test back in the mid-90's? IIRC, they were drive-on flatbeds that were designed for short haul intermodal, and they tested them in the Detroit-Chicago corridor. Thanks.

Two train sets were completed at the Motivepower plant at Mountain Top, Pennsylvania and were tested. The project was dropped when CSX got involved in the Conrail acquisition, the people who worked on it were all let go, and the two train sets with their adapter cars were transferred to CP Rail and were tested in service there (I believe Montreal to Toronto). I have not heard anything about them in many years and considering their unusual one of a kind systems and the need for captive locomotives that were specially fitted to adapt to them, I doubt they are still in use.

If you are thinking about writing anything about them be aware that the CSX lawyers generally contact anybody who offers any information about them (particularly on eBay) and threaten legal action to protect their intellectual property rights. This is despite the fact that they abandoned the project a decade ago.

I too heard they were "shelved" due to the Conrail merger being a Priority as well as major issues with wheel wear. In fact, the wheel problems were the nail in the coffin so i was told. I have the operating manual for the Iron Highway system somewhere.

I remember reading they ran from Toronto to detroit area hauling auto parts for cp rail . How long it lasted i dont know .

NV290 is absolutely correct on that recollection. The rear half of the train functioning in compression while the front half is in tension results in all sorts of wierd dynamic effects and a force reversal interface that continually changes location in the elements (the Iron Highway name for the set of platforms) as the vehicle encounters grades and curves.

MX