# Which brands of containers for Athearn Maxi III's?



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I haven't found anyone who knows for sure, so...

I have some Athearn Maxi III wellcar sets on layaway, and I'm trying to find out which brands of containers fit them okay, and which to avoid (the grapevine says some don't).

Without employing the "Uninvited gorilla" tactic of unpackaging stuff to check compatibility, I've noted the following brands of containers at the LHS:

Athearn
Atlas
Kato
ScaleTrains (Operator).

If anyone knows if these are compatible or not, I'd appreciate a heads up.
Thanx,
L.S.


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

I was buying used containers at the train shows for a few years. I would just bring em home and plant them in container wells or the spine cars. There was only one brand that didn't fit the spine cars to well but dropped right into the well cars. I don't recall right off hand what that brand was but I didn't recognize it.
I think you would be safe buying what ever brand you want.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

53' containers can be carried on top of 40's or 48's or even two 20's But 20's are always on the bottom only


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

BTW, I haven't observed many up close...
Which type is most common -- articulated, or individual cars?... (e.g., individually, Proto's are a more expensive proposition).


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

There's way more articulated well cars than singles. But the kinds & numbers are era specific.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Can't seem to find any 53' Maersk.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> Can't seem to find any 53' Maersk.


53' cans are usually used here in USA & don't work internationally with loads.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Thanks, Andy, I didn't know that.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

The majority of international cans are 20', 40' & 45'. The were some different lengths in the very early days.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Funny, how stepping into the present era needs research as much as for the '40's & '50's.
Gotta' read-up on today's minutia.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Do all containers have a magnet arrangement for stacking?
Or do some need to be glued together?


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## deedub35 (Jan 29, 2014)

Neither.

On the bottom of the container at the four corners are tiny pins. They align with tiny holes on the four corners on the top of the container below it.

It’s crazy the pricing of containers.

www.hobbyking.com has decent and cheap containers.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Ok, thanks.
I thought I read somewhere that Kato's were magnetic.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Stacking containers*_
Here's what I've learned so far:_

There is no NMRA standard for model containers. Stacking different brands can be a crapshoot.
For instance...

1.) Walthers & Athearn will mate, but one has oval pins, so are best on bottom only.
2.) All pinned versions are pinned on the _bottom_ except Con-Cor, which are pinned on _top_, making them compatible only with each other.
3.) Kato's are magnetic, so presumably are _also_ compatible only with each other.

According to what I see on other forums, many modelers use rubber cement to join different brands of containers, and some go as far as using _permanent_ cements to create permanent pairs or trios (or quads I guess?).
Some use a form of cement _anyway_, just to ensure no "Murphy mishaps" (e.g., tunnel snafu's & truss-bridge disasters).


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

LateStarter said:


> 2.) All pinned versions are pinned on the _bottom_ except Con-Cor, which are pinned on _top_, making them compatible only with each other.


Not to mention looking silly with those extra unrealistic nubbies sticking out the top...

I'll never fathom that particular design decision.


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

53 feet is a US standard for trailers. According to Quora.com, DOT requires "all national networks (US and Interstate highways) and all other networks within ten miles. MUST allow the operation of 53-foot semitrailers without requiring special permits".


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*First purchase*
Just ordered two Walthers 48' JB Hunt containers off different eBay sources.
Not sure what the chances are of getting different numbers.
At least I'll have an idea of how they _generically_ mate together.

I see JBH on the road all the time (very common).
I'm thinking about weathering them.


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## deedub35 (Jan 29, 2014)

60 footers have been introduced ...

https://www.trucknews.com/equipment/canadian-tire-cp-unveil-60-ft-container-calgary/1003078421


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Found three more*
(used & cheap)._

Walthers 53'


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Stacking is based on 40-foot lengths:* 

Forty-foot containers are the standard unit length, and load bearing points are at the ends of these containers. Longer containers, such as 45, 48 and 53 feet long, still have the load bearing points _40 feet apart_, with the excess protruding equally outside this length. Therefore, 40-foot containers, or larger, can be stacked on 20-foot containers _if there are two 20-foot containers in the bottom row._ However, 20-foot containers cannot be stacked on top of 40-foot or longer containers.
The possible 20/40-foot double-stacking patterns are:

Two 20 ft in lower stack, and one 40 ft (or longer) in upper stack.

One 40 ft in lower stack, and another 40 ft (or longer) in upper stack.

Two 20 ft in lower stack, and two 20 ft in upper stack.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

Have seen one 20' can in a 53' well! Have also seen a five unit well car with 2nd & 4th wells MT because there are 53' cans on top of 40's in the 1st 3rd & 5th wells


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

LateStarter said:


> Two 20 ft in lower stack, and two 20 ft in upper stack.


This may be possible, but it's rare. I've never seen stacked 20's.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

20' cans are made to hold literally tons, so would only be on lowest level. But maybe if Mt they might be stacked, but it would be as hens teeth. ~}


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Rattle-around*_
I just received a Walthers set of three 53' JB Hunt containers.
They're still in the packaging.
Something metallic is rattling around inside them.
Before I open the package, does anyone have ideas on what it could be?


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

LateStarter said:


> _*Rattle-around*_
> I just received a Walthers set of three 53' JB Hunt containers.
> They're still in the packaging.
> Something metallic is rattling around inside them.
> Before I open the package, does anyone have ideas on what it could be?


I don't have any walthers containers, but my guess might be small metal pieces to allow the containers to be picked up magnetically?

Years ago I had a kit for a Walthers "Mi-Jack" container crane, and the kit contained a pair of magnets the were installed in the lifting frame, so it could actually "carry" a container if you glued metal weights in the top...


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Because I haven't made any observations to the contrary, I'm assuming that shorter containers are never stacked over longer ones, e.g., 45's over 53's.
Going by what I've seen, a 53' would always be stacked over a 45 or 48.
Have I got that right?


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

45', 48' & 53' cans can be put on 2 20' or 1 40' because the shorter ones are built stronger than the longer ones. The sorter ones are built stronger for international trade where they get stacked very high for ship transport.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

LateStarter said:


> Because I haven't made any observations to the contrary, I'm assuming that shorter containers are never stacked over longer ones, e.g., 45's over 53's.
> Going by what I've seen, a 53' would always be stacked over a 45 or 48.
> Have I got that right?


The mounting points are all standardized at the 40' lengths, and 40', 45', 48' and 53' containers can be stacked in any combination. 

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=dttx475514&o=ttx
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=dttx723750&o=ttx
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?o=ttx&i=dttx726092a
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=dttx726092c&o=ttx
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=dttx888373b&o=ttx

I've seen *some* 53' domestic containers stencilled "top position only" though. But 53's are stacked in 53' wells. 53' on top of 40' is also common because you can put a 40' in the bottom position in a 40' well and then put a 48' or 53' on top overhanging the end platforms of the car.

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?o=ttx&i=dttx62268d

20' containers can NOT be stacked on top of longer containers as there is no central reinforcement and mounting points in the centre for 20' cans.

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=dttx781154d&o=ttx

It's also common to see wells with 20' cans only single-stacked - possibly due to weight restrictions. (Especially when loading with tank containers - I'm flipping through my collection and while I can find lots of 20/20 + 40 standard containers, I can't find any examples of tank containers with anything stacked on top of them.)

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=dttx658965&o=ttx


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

@ cv_acr:
Awesome! :thumbsup: Thanks! :smilie_daumenpos: Salute! :appl:


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*28-footers*
I'm accumulating containers from various sources, and I've stumbled across some 28-footers.
I'm not sure if I've seen them roll by in prototype... (if I have, I didn't notice).
Not sure how to place these.

I guess according to the 40-foot standard, they'd need to go solo underneath any longer ones, or butted against a 20-footer for a 48' length.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

LateStarter said:


> *28-footers*
> I'm accumulating containers from various sources, and I've stumbled across some 28-footers.
> I'm not sure if I've seen them roll by in prototype... (if I have, I didn't notice).
> Not sure how to place these.
> ...



I've heard of them, but never seen one. I think they were a non-standard size that was fairly short lived in some particular area or service. (Domestic only)

They would obviously not be able to stack on top of longer containers, just like 20' cans, since as discussed the mounting points are set for stacking 40' cans.

They would also NOT fit into a standard 48' well, since the mounting points for a 40' container are centered, so you actually have 4' on each end of the 40', so no, you can't put a 20+28 into a standard 48' well. They could fit into a 53' well, but not a 48'.


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

Have forgotten who started them, but they were made to fit in 56' well cars which also carried 20' through 53' cans. See them here: 
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsList.aspx?id=DTTX&aid=S714


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Right, they of course would not fit into a 53' well.

I'd never actually seen a 56' well before.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

In some trains I observe, I sometimes see as many as a dozen _empty_ cars here-and-there in random order.
What's up with that? :dunno:


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

Possible reasons:

- there weren't enough container to fill up all the wells, and remember many of the cars are 3-5 unit sets
- rebalancing empty cars that might have been needed at the destination for loads in the other direction
- as to ordering, remember that trains are blocked by *destination*, not loads/empties


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## lajrmdlr (Apr 25, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> In some trains I observe, I sometimes see as many as a dozen _empty_ cars here-and-there in random order.
> What's up with that? :dunno:


Seems it would depend on where you're making these observations. If on the end points, they didn't have enough cans or pigs to load all the wells. If in between it could be the cans or pigs were unloaded & the wells sent on.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Yep, that all makes sense. :thumbsup:


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I'm noticing a lot of 20' & 40' containers with Oriental & European names and symbols.
My guess is they're coming in through New York and/or Norfolk International.

I'm also spotting half a dozen different road names on well-cars, but I haven't noticed any NS, and as far as I know there aren't any.


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