Containers on Flat Cars - COFC
Container on Flat Car, also known as COFC, was one of the early pioneering methods of intermodal transportation. While wagons (and eventually trailers) had been loaded onto flat cars as early as the 1860's, containerization in the mid-20th Century changed the game. In the 1960's, as containers became more common for ocean shipping, it became feasible for cranes lifting equipment to transfer those containers directly onto flatcars.
COFC and TOFC were a growing commodity as intermodal shipments grew in the latter half of 20th Century. However, neither could compete on economics with double-stacked containers after those were introduced in the mid-1980's. Nowadays, COFC is much less common to see but still run daily across North America. Like here, where a cut of Schneider & JB Hunt containers are riding on TOFC spine cars on a CPKC intermodal train. Besides this cut, the rest of the train was all doublenstacks in well cars.
181 (Intermodal- San Luis Potosí, MX to Chicago, IL)
Houston, TX
October 13th, 2025
Containers on Flat Cars - COFC
Container on Flat Car, also known as COFC, was one of the early pioneering methods of intermodal transportation. While wagons (and eventually trailers) had been loaded onto flat cars as early as the 1860's, containerization in the mid-20th Century changed the game. In the 1960's, as containers became more common for ocean shipping, it became feasible for cranes lifting equipment to transfer those containers directly onto flatcars.
COFC and TOFC were a growing commodity as intermodal shipments grew in the latter half of 20th Century. However, neither could compete on economics with double-stacked containers after those were introduced in the mid-1980's. Nowadays, COFC is much less common to see but still run daily across North America. Like here, where a cut of Schneider & JB Hunt containers are riding on TOFC spine cars on a CPKC intermodal train. Besides this cut, the rest of the train was all doublenstacks in well cars.
181 (Intermodal- San Luis Potosí, MX to Chicago, IL)
Houston, TX
October 13th, 2025