NASA O Scale Premier AC4400 Diesel Solid Rocket Motor Transport Boxed Set w/Proto-Sound 2.0
Overview
Due to the rocket motors large size, moving it completely assembled from its Utah manufacturing site to Cape Canaveral, Florida is impractical. Consequently, the rocket section is loaded atop a heavy-duty flat car and transported by rail in a unit train to the launch area where it is then assembled. The route traveled takes the train southeast via the Union Pacific, Kansas City Southern, CSX and Florida East Coast routes. Each rocket section is covered with a removable large steel cover for both protection and secrecy as to the car's load. Often each car in the unit train is separated by "buffer" car that can absorb any impact caused by a derailment or other mishap. The buffer cars can take the form of additional flat cars with covers or a boxcar.
The Premier Line six-car Solid Rocket Transport train includes five 47' TTX Heavy Duty Flat Cars with covers. The cover houses different sections of the rocket, each of which can be removed from the car and assembled into a free-standing rocket. When assembled, the rocket measures 30 _" in height or nearly 123 scale feet! A sixth car in the form of a streamlined passenger coach serves as the Transport train's crew car.
This set can also be combined with a 6-car Union Pacific Hi-Cube Box Car set for use as buffer cars.