Long Rail Transport Train

A consist of flatcars for transporting continuous rail sections greater in length than a single flatcar, and adapted for top loading and end unloading of the rail sections, the consist comprising:

• a tie-down flatcar having a rail securement rack fixed thereto, said rail securement rack having a support frame, vertically oriented, plural rail clamping shelves configured to selectively engage said support frame in a stacked manner, and wherein each of said plural rail clamping shelves includes an upper surface for supporting a portion of the continuous rail sections thereupon, and a rail clamp assembly for retainably engaging said portion of the continuous rail sections, and wherein at least a portion of said plural rail clamping shelves are selectively positionable between a first position, generally orthogonal to said portion of the continuous rail sections, to facilitate support thereof, and a second position enabling placement of said portion of the continuous rail sections into said rail securement rack from above;
• plural support flatcars engaged in the consist with said tie-down flatcar, wherein each of said plural support flatcars has a roller rack fixed thereto that includes plural roller shelves that each comprise plural rollers to engage and support the rail sections in a manner to enable movement of the rail sections along a longitudinal axis of said consist, and wherein said plural roller shelves are pivotally mounted to said roller racks between a loading position that provides clearance for placement of the rail sections from above the consist, and a transport position generally orthogonal to the rail sections to facilitate support thereof during transit and unloading of the consist.