Containerized shipping

An interesting (IMHO) possibility for containerized shipping, if it could be managed, would be having military transports which could carry either cargo in containers, OR carry container-sized berthing areas for soldiers / sailors.

If you need to haul cargo, you haul cargo. If you need to haul soldiers, you haul soldiers. The only difference to the ship being the type of containers loaded.

Cheopis wrote:An interesting (IMHO) possibility for containerized shipping, if it could be managed, would be having military transports which could carry either cargo in containers, OR carry container-sized berthing areas for soldiers / sailors.

If you need to haul cargo, you haul cargo. If you need to haul soldiers, you haul soldiers. The only difference to the ship being the type of containers loaded.

If you need to haul barracks, a 20ft container works too. (A 20ft container makes a comfortable twin room accommodation module with separate toilets and showers or an uncomfortable 8-12 man barracks with a set of bunks and a single properly plumbed toilet and shower). (I've stayed in the twin room version)... Drop it on a rail skel and you have a passenger carriage. But you do need to be able to lift it at each end of the trip. Bury it and you have a bunker. Stick a turret on a container and you get a pillbox. Containers can be endlessly useful if you are creative...

Castenea wrote:I believe that Keg was actually a size of barrel, and am more used to the designation of tight cooperage (for liquids), and loose cooperage (for barrels that were not water tight). A cooper makes barrels (primarily those who make them from wood).

There are three grades of coopers - dry coopers (bottom of the heap) who make flour barrels with paper or fabric liners to stop the contents falling out, wet coopers who make wine and beer barrels and top of the skill set, dry tight coopers who make barrels that are water tight dry for storing water sensitive powders or machinery parts - read gunpowder for ships. The invention of the tin can rather put paid to the last group and hammered the second in smaller sizes.
The major weakness with barrels (and their predecessor the amphora) is poor packing density in shipping - under 60% efficient in the worst case). (Circles (barrels)pack poorly into rectangles (holds)). That said - containers need cranes, pallets need fork lifts. Steam cranes are easier to build than steam forklifts...a manual hoist could work (slowly) for container handling.

Yah, a Keg is a type of barrel too. The old term Slak Keg was used interchangeably with just Keg for the light staved container used to transport nails, spikes, and crockery. While the density due to the round shape is negative the ease of handling by single individual without any special equipment meant this type of container is still used. Tip on side and then roll where you want it.

Poker

pokermind wrote:Yah, a Keg is a type of barrel too. The old term Slak Keg was used interchangeably with just Keg for the light staved container used to transport nails, spikes, and crockery. While the density due to the round shape is negative the ease of handling by single individual without any special equipment meant this type of container is still used. Tip on side and then roll where you want it.

Poker

Usage may differ in US, but in France and Germany, traditional wood barrels are, well, barrel shaped with both ends the same size, while kegs were smaller and conical, with the hole on the small end. The small end would fit in the inside of the big one, allowing very stable stacking. size around 15-20L usually

Nowadays, any small barrel is called a keg especially if it contains beer.

alj_sf wrote:

pokermind wrote:Yah, a Keg is a type of barrel too. The old term Slak Keg was used interchangeably with just Keg for the light staved container used to transport nails, spikes, and crockery. While the density due to the round shape is negative the ease of handling by single individual without any special equipment meant this type of container is still used. Tip on side and then roll where you want it.

Poker

Usage may differ in US, but in France and Germany, traditional wood barrels are, well, barrel shaped with both ends the same size, while kegs were smaller and conical, with the hole on the small end. The small end would fit in the inside of the big one, allowing very stable stacking. size around 15-20L usually

Nowadays, any small barrel is called a keg especially if it contains beer.

Kegs came in different sizes, but most kegs were 20 gal and under. The most common sizes were 20, 10, 5, 2.5 and 1 gal.

alj_sf wrote:

pokermind wrote:Yah, a Keg is a type of barrel too. The old term Slak Keg was used interchangeably with just Keg for the light staved container used to transport nails, spikes, and crockery. While the density due to the round shape is negative the ease of handling by single individual without any special equipment meant this type of container is still used. Tip on side and then roll where you want it.

Poker

Usage may differ in US, but in France and Germany, traditional wood barrels are, well, barrel shaped with both ends the same size, while kegs were smaller and conical, with the hole on the small end. The small end would fit in the inside of the big one, allowing very stable stacking. size around 15-20L usually

Nowadays, any small barrel is called a keg especially if it contains beer.

Yeah, it differs in the US.