Why 737 Fuselages Are Delivered To The Boeing Factory On Trains

In certain markets, airlines and train operating companies directly compete with each other for passengers. However, in other domains, rail transportation plays a vital role in getting planes in the air in the 1st place. Specifically, this applies to the production of Boeing's popular 737 family, whose fuselages are transported to the factory by rail. But why is this the case? Before we go any further, a crazy 79% of you have not yet subscribed. Please do us a favour and subscribe now. It really means a lot. The need for Boeing to transport its 737 fuselages by rail boils down to the location where they're manufactured. Specifically, this is a role fulfilled by Spirit Aero Systems, which produces the fuselages before sending them to Boeing to join the assembly line. However, Spirit is based in Wichita, KS, whereas Boeing 737 factory is in Renton, WA. This is a distance of around 1800 miles or 2900 kilometers, and thus poses a logistical headache for the companies involved. Flying the fuselages inside larger cargo aircraft would be fast, but limited in its capacity. Likewise, specialized lorries can only transport a single fuselage at a time. This is a very slow process that would slow down the aircraft's production cycle. As such, transporting the fuselages by rail is the best compromise in terms of speed and the capacity to carry more than one at a time. The fuselages make up part of a much larger freight consist which BNSF holds from Wichita to Renton. By 201335 fuselages a month were making this mammoth cross country train journey. Interestingly, the 737 is not the only Boeing aircraft for which the railway has been a crucial part of the logistical process. Indeed, Railway Age observes that Boeing has taken railway shipments of fuselages and other components since the 1960s. As well as taking deliveries from Wichita, Boeing has also had parts shipped in by rail from facilities in Texas in the past. Likewise, Renton has not been the only destination for these rail base shipments, with some also going to it's factory in Everett, WA. This practice began with components of the four engine seven O 7, while it's Twin Isle 777 has also been the subject of such deliveries. However, the 737 has become the most common beneficiary of the service. In February 2018, the fuselage of it's ten thousandth production arrived in Renton by rail. Transporting 737 fuselages by rail has largely proved a practical solution to the logistical reality of getting them from Wichita to Renton. However, an incident in 2014 caused significant problems for both Boeing and Montana Rail Link. Specifically, Reuters reports that in July that year, the train in question derailed near Superior, Mt. This incident saw nineteen of the train's 90 freight cars come off the tracks, including three carrying 737 fuselages. The location of the derailment was particularly inconvenient, as it took place at the top of a riverbank. This caused some of the fuselages to slide down the bank and into the Clark Fork River. Thankfully, no one was injured in the incident. With the damage sustained, some fuselages needed to be scrapped. Boeing was producing 4273 sevens a month at the time, meaning that the incident wiped out around 14% of its capacity for July 2014. Did you know that Boeing 737 fuselages are transported to their final assembly line by rail? Let us know by leaving a comment. In addition to our daily YouTube videos, Simple Flying publishes over 150 articles and a podcast every week. If you're looking for the latest aviation news and insights, visit simpleflying.com. Thanks for watching and don't forget to like and subscribe before you go.