Intermodal Well Cars

A well car is specially designed to carry intermodal containers (shipping containers) used in intermodal freight transport exclusively by the Class 1 Railroads. The well is a depressed section which sits close to the rails between the trucks of the car, allowing a container to be carried lower than on a traditional flatcar. This makes it possible to carry a stack of two containers per unit. The wells are 40-53’ long, and multi-unit wells are connected by articulated connectors. Single-unit well cars are also equipped with adjustable hitches to allow a chassis carrying a container to be loaded into the well. Advantages of using well cars include lower tare weights resulting in higher load capacity, ability to double stack the containers, and increased stability due to the lower center of gravity.