Ticket to Ride: Honda develops Auto-Max 22-vehicle rail car
This is just the kind of car company that Honda is. Sure, it sinks tons of R&D into its automobiles so they go faster, handle better, feel nicer and get better fuel economy, but while they're at it, the good folks at Honda also do things like build jets and revolutionize rail transport. That's right, along with cars and planes, Honda has worked its magic on trains and developed the Auto-Max railcar. You see, Honda transports 82% of all its soon-to-be-sold autos via rail in the United States. Why? Because it's more "environmentally responsible" than using trucks. Well, Honda had an issue with current bi-level rail cars outfitted to transport vehicles because they can only hold 10 cars and operate for 20 years. So Honda did what it does and developed the Auto-Max, which will hold 22 cars and run for 50 years. And now its got a fleet of 400 operating in the U.S. The Japanese automaker also upgraded the rail infrastructure around its Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio assembly plants so trains can pull in and out faster and shipments get on their quicker. Being from Ohio, I can tell you that this state really is the heart of it all when it comes to rail, so it's not surprising that Honda has taken advantage of this shipping method to save some cost and look a little more green. We can't wait to see what the Auto-Max Si can do. Gallery: Honda Auto-Max rail car
[Source: Honda]
PRESS RELEASE
Honda Launches Auto-Max Railcar Fleet: More environmentally-responsible product distribution with industry-first fleet
Honda (http://www.honda.com) has fully deployed its fleet of Auto-Max® railcars, achieving a significant reduction in the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions associated with its automobile distribution activities in the United States. The 400-car fleet of more space-efficient Auto-Max railcars is the only such automaker-operated fleet in use in the United States. Including the Auto-Max fleet shipments, American Honda currently transports about 82 percent of its Honda and Acura automobiles across the country by rail, achieving the highest rail-shipping rate of any automaker.
Each multi-level Auto-Max railcar holds up to 22 vehicles and can hold both trucks and cars to reduce unused space. The result is less fuel usage per vehicle shipped and no compromise to quality. An average bi-level railcar can transport only 10 trucks, generally of a single vehicle type.
Honda's Auto-Max railcars have a 50-year estimated lifespan versus standard railcars, which typically require a major overhaul after just 20 years of service. Honda participated with the Greenbrier Companies (NYSE:GBX) in designing Auto-Max, which is exclusively manufactured by Greenbrier.
"Honda is adopting a holistic approach to minimizing its greenhouse gas emissions, addressing not only the production and on road use of our products, but also new, more fuel-efficient strategies for how we transport our products to dealers," said Dennis Manns, assistant vice president, Sales & Logistics Planning for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Rail is the most environmentally responsible method available to move our products, and our Auto-Max railcar fleet can make a good system even more fuel efficient."
To further support Honda's strategy to increase product distribution by rail, Honda this year invested approximately $7 million to redesign the rail infrastructure at its automobile plants in Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio. The redesign added rail capacity, enabling American Honda to ship more units via rail. Further, inbound and outbound trains at the plant can now operate at a faster pace; pull easier on upgraded tracks; and, require less railcar switching in the yard, reducing fuel consumption, CO2, and other air pollutants emissions that are produced while engines are left idling.
According to CSX, which serves Honda's rail operations in Ohio, the infrastructure improvement contributes an annual savings of 2,436 gallons of fuel and 54,432 pounds of CO2 per year.
Honda is globally committed to minimizing air emissions from its products and factories. Honda is working to achieve its goals by reducing CO2 emissions by improving the energy efficiency of Honda manufacturing plants and by improving the fuel efficiency of its automobile, powersports and power equipment products. Honda's legacy of environmental leadership includes a long list of industry firsts, including the world's first low-emission vehicles, America's first gasoline-electric hybrid car, and the world's first EPA-certified hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. In 2007, Honda was named the "Greenest Automaker" by the Union of Concerned Scientists for the fourth consecutive time.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
TheOne442 4:38PM (6/20/2008)
Can't believe no one has thought of this before?
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Egon 6:43PM (6/20/2008)
Actually, these railcars have been around for about 9 years. They might be new to Honda, but I don't think they qualify as a genuine Honda innovation.
Emmo213 1:35PM (6/23/2008)
This has been thought of before, about 10 years before. It's just that Honda finished receiving all of their cars and is attempting to turn this into a "green" press release. Here's an PM article from March of 2000 to prove this isn't a new innovation.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/new_cars/1266666.html
Amber 4:41PM (6/20/2008)
Well Hondas are very space efficient and I guess they applied it here. Before the car rails were two level so as to transport everything. But many vehicles are small and they could stack 3 on top of each other. saves costs dramatically.
What do you know I like it. BNSF has ordered most of these.
(burlington northern santa fe)
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Amber 4:52PM (6/20/2008)
completely ignore my comment as i am completely wrong. i thought this was something else.
pmiddle5 4:45PM (6/20/2008)
*waits for first vtec joke*
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Ford Wannup 4:50PM (6/20/2008)
...ok...you asked...
Honda-train developed its peak torque at 22K RPM, although you wouldn't believe how quickly the train engine rev up to that speed, and once the VTEC kicks in at 18.5K RPM, it's all a moot point.
Seriously though, this is vintage Honda at its system finest.
havoc 4:59PM (6/20/2008)
well being that these are just cars and not engines, the train itself makes an ass-tonne of torque at like 200 rpm.
HOWEVER
the rail cars will be offered in 2010 with the s-type packages
Steve 4:58PM (6/20/2008)
I dont know about Honda being an environmenatly friendly company. While I was at a Honda dealership to fix my belt, transmission, axel, engine head, suspension, engine block, and 14 outstanding recalls, I saw many of these little turds being delivered to the dealership on a truck. I didnt see no train.
Buy Ford!
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Peter Rockwell 5:03PM (6/20/2008)
Is there a rail spur to your dealership? Didn't think so. So how are they going to get the cars from the rail yard to the dealership?
Ford Wannup 5:24PM (6/20/2008)
@ Steve:
your exaggerated "to fix" list shows that the only turd in question is you. I am also sure that you have the contract to build rail lines to Ford dealerships, huh?
Aki 5:33PM (6/20/2008)
You're so full of it. 14 outstanding recalls on a single car? Care to name which car and model year this was for?
And yes, Honda should demand that Santa Fe build railroads straight to every single dealership. Ridiculous.
Cornholio 6:24PM (6/20/2008)
Steve, don't be a brick. Of course cars arrive at your dealer by truck. It doesn't mean they left the factory on one.
Almost exclusively, cars are shipped by rail from their port of entry, or manufacturing plant if produced in North America, to a regional distribution lot. From these regional lots, trucks perform final delivery to the dealers. Virtually ALL major automakers follow this model.
And tri-level autorack cars have been around for decades now - it's not new. What IS new is that demand for these tri-level cars is increasing. Why? Because demand for small cars is on the rise. All those trucks and SUVs have to ride on bi-level cars which, when used for smaller vehicles, waste space.
As for the Auto-max car referenced in this article, it's been in service for almost a decade now - it's not new. (it's built by Gunderson, a Greenbrier company - do a web search, you can find lots of photos like this: http://www.trainweb.org/funnelfan/bn-amax4.jpg).
The Honda article is a bit over the top in its proclamations of "reinventing auto shipments" - what is relevant is that Honda (a primary user of the Auto-Max cars) have reconfigured their loading facilities to take advantage of the capacity these cars offer.
Rail is the most efficient way to ship vehicles, and has been since the 1960s when autoracks were placed into wide-spread use. Honda just wants a feel-good "green" story out of their experience.
Edsel 5:02PM (6/20/2008)
That has to be one of the world's most boring jobs. Loading cars onto railcars all day long......
BTW, how do the loaders get out of the vehicles once they're driven into position?
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rooster 5:06PM (6/20/2008)
They simply crawl into the floor board and croak. Honda will work on the smell post sale.
Bungle 6:18PM (6/20/2008)
From the video, it looks like there's (barely) enough room between the cars and interior walls to just open the door and walk out.
rooster 5:04PM (6/20/2008)
Judging from the photos, it'll hold 22 vehicles in the small midsize sedan or smaller range. Current rail cars hold 10 anything, so it's not completely an equal comparison.
That said, it looks like a great improvement. It'll also help with "rail dust"...the iron particles that embed in paint during transport in open cars.
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The Other Bob 7:16PM (6/21/2008)
Non-news. I am sure every autocompany in the world has equally "interesting" inventions to transport cars or otherwise benefit the company
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anti-believer 5:52PM (6/20/2008)
"I dont know about Honda being an environmenatly friendly company. While I was at a Honda dealership to fix my belt, transmission, axel, engine head, suspension, engine block, and 14 outstanding recalls, I saw many of these little turds being delivered to the dealership on a truck. I didnt see no train."
WOW! your intelligence is a virtue.
thx turd.... i didn't know railways went str8 to dealerships.
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Obamasucks 6:20PM (6/20/2008)
Wow a big corporation invest money in becoming more efficient thus able to make more money! Only honda! Honda rules, this is why there so great! What other company would invest money in becoming more efficient and in things that would save them money? Only honda could do that. (thats called sarcasm)
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