axles at each end, is about long and carries a load that does not exceed . History The word Schnabel is from German , meaning "carrying-beak-wagon", because of the usually tapered shape of the lifting arms, resembling a bird's beak. In World War II the German used Schnabel cars for transporting the heavy-calibre (54 cm and 60 cm calibre) siege mortars. These were self-propelled with a continuous-track suspension chassis of substantial length to maneuver into a firing position over a short range, but depended on a pair of purpose-designed Schnabel cars for long-range transport by rail. The same system was also used at the same time for the rail transport of the French FCM 2C super-heavy armoured fighting vehicle. In the United States, the first Schnabel car, WECX 200, was built for Westinghouse Nuclear by manufacturer Greenville Steel Car in the 1960s. Patent history The Schnabel design was covered under US patent #US 4041879A List of selected Schnabel wagons The Class Uaai low-loading wagon with special equipment is marketed Europe-wide exclusively by the heavy load department, Heavy Cargo + Service, of Nuclear Cargo + Service. See also Class U special wagon References Further reading (additional technical details on CEBX 800) (boxcar comparison figures) (details on CEBX 800) (basic definition of a Schnabel car) External links Schnabel cars – photos and technical information on Schnabel cars used worldwide. Heavy Rail Transport Basics Freight rolling stock