What Is a Flatcar?
A flatcar is a piece of railroad rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck on four or six wheels. The deck of the car can be wood or steel and the sides of the deck can include pockets for stakes or tie down points to secure loads. Flatcars designed for carrying machinery have sliding chain assemblies recessed in the deck. Flatcars are used for loads that are too large or cumbersome to load in enclosed cars such as boxcars. They are also often used to transport containers or trailers. Select this link to view our Snowman Christmas Ornament. History of Santa Claus Born in the United States of mixed ethnic and religious heritage, Santa Claus embodies the American ideal of the nation as a great melting pot of cultural identities. Santa Claus became an important folk figure in the second half of the nineteenth century, about the time when Americans were beginning to celebrate Christmas in large numbers. Santa Claus bears a good deal of resemblance to his closest relative, the old E
A flatcar is a railroad car which consists of a flat deck mounted to a set of axles. The number of axles can vary, depending on the types of loads that the flatcar is designed to bear, and there are a few variations on the basic design for specialty uses. Flatcars were the original freight car and their history dates back to the very early days of railroading. People who happen to live in areas where freight trains pass have probably seen flatcars in action on numerous occasions. The basic flatcar was developed to carry a wide variety of cargo. Railroad companies began expanding on the traditional flatcar as they dealt with unique or challenging loads. Bulkhead flat cars have large end rails on either end of the car which are designed to keep the load from shifting off, and centerbeam flatcars have a large beam which runs down the middle of the flatcar to reinforce it. Well and depressed center flatcars are designed for especially bulky and heavy loads, such as heavy industrial equipme
