53' Gunderson Husky Stack

Prototype Information

In 1977, the Southern Pacific Railroad and SeaLand pioneered the double-stack concept, putting containers one atop the other to cut costs and boost efficiency. That same year, SP partnered with ACF Industries to design the first true double-stack car. Railroads hesitated at first, but in 1984 American President Lines teamed up with Thrall and Union Pacific to refine the well car design and launch the first dedicated service. The inaugural “Stacktrain” rolled out of Los Angeles in 1984, bound for South Kearny, New Jersey, and handed off from UP to C&NW and then to Conrail.

By 1990, double-stack technology had become the industry standard, and Gunderson (a Greenbrier company) introduced the Husky Stack. Designed for flexibility, the Husky Stack could operate as a standalone well car or in drawbar-connected sets. It quickly became one of the most common cars in intermodal service, reflecting the shift toward containerized freight that continues to dominate railroading today.