A Look Back in Time: The GM/Southern Pacific Vert-a-Pac
In the late 1960s, GM/Southern Pacific developed the Vert-A-Pac system for efficient car transport, loading vehicles vertically to increase capacity, reduce costs by 40%, and retire in 1977 due to reliability issues.
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The article discusses the innovative transportation method called the GM/Southern Pacific Vert-A-Pac system, developed in the late 1960s for shipping Chevrolet Vegas and Pontiac Astres. Traditional boxcars were inefficient for car transport, leading to the creation of the Vert-A-Pac system. This system allowed cars to be loaded vertically, increasing the number of vehicles per railcar from 18 to 30 and reducing transportation costs by 40%. Special engineering adaptations were made to ensure the cars could be transported vertically without leaks or damage. Despite the initial success of the Vega, it faced reliability issues and was eventually discontinued in 1977. The Vert-A-Pac racks were also retired due to their specialized nature. The article credits General Motors and the Southern Pacific Railroad for this innovative solution in car transportation.
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