# Free Printable N and HO scale paper containers



## Artieiii

I stumbled upon this site that has templates for DIY container templates that you can print and fold into stacks for your container terminal. They are for N scale but you can fit HO scale on 8x11" standard printer paper. I used photoshop and under the print que I upscaled the image to 225% size and printed in landscape view for HO scale. Now I think I will cut some wood scraps to wrap around them. I may try to print with thicker cardboard stock paper.
http://home.wanadoo.nl/schatborn/index2.html
-Art


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## sstlaure

That's a cool site. Those containers aren't cheap. This will save me a fair bit of money populating the background of my intermodal area.


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## Artieiii

sstlaure said:


> That's a cool site. Those containers aren't cheap. This will save me a fair bit of money populating the background of my intermodal area.


My LHS sells packs of (3) for $27. For the price of a color inkjet cartridge I can make tons of them. I think I will try to cut scraps of wood to go inside them so that they add some weight to my container cars. I did not see an Evergreen one so I photoshopped a green one to look like evergreen. The trick is to scale them up from N scale to HO size. I am printing up samples at work on the laser printer to get the size just right. I stumbled onto the site while looking for bulk supply of undecorated ones but had no luck.
-Art


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## Bucklaew

Just the site I needed. Thanks for the heads up.


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## Artieiii

*1st set done*

Last nite i made a bunch of containers. I used photoshop to make some of double stack containers from the website. I printed them, cut them out then cut wood scraps to the correct size. I used tacky spray glue to attach them to the wood. It worked out pretty nice......much cheaper than buying them.








These should run nicely on my layout with the added wood structure weight. :thumbsup::thumbsup:
-Art


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## gunrunnerjohn

Great idea and cheap too! My kind of deal.


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## sstlaure

Looks cool. I'll definitely use this site when the time comes.


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## Artieiii

I made a bunch more this morning before work. I like having the ability to make the brand containers that add unique colors for my layout. My ceiling shelf will make it hard to see them so I figure I can make lots of them and stack them up for a nice effect. The added weight should be good in the container cars as well. An added bonus.........cheap!!!
-Art


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## Artieiii

*More Pictures*









Here is another picture of my paper containers. All in HO scale. The mostly double stacks as they will fit in my container cars. The 4 stack ones will sit on my train shelf.
-Art


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## tjcruiser

Are you making the double stacks as two actual paper boxes, or is it just one paper box printed to look like a double stack? Either way, they look great!!!

TJ


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## Artieiii

tjcruiser said:


> Are you making the double stacks as two actual paper boxes, or is it just one paper box printed to look like a double stack? Either way, they look great!!!
> 
> TJ


TJ,
I printed them as doubles. A double stack fits nicely on regular 8 1/2 X 11 printer paper for HO scale. The paper is stuck to blocks of wood with craft store tacky spray. Then I sprayed the outside with clear acrylic spray so that the inkjet ink does not run. The wood helps give them some weight and because they are stacked as doubles they won't fall off my container cars.
Here is an example:








The white tabs are folded over the edges of the wood blocks. The rest of the paper is cut away. Print them in landscape view and scale them to fit the page. I printed some samples on my laser printer at work to not waste ink and get the scale size as close as possible.
-Art


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## tjcruiser

Thanks, Art ... easy, excellent, convincing!

TJ


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## iLikeCheese

Excellent find! Great job making them too!


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## norgale

Good link. This is something we all canuse. It even has windows for structures which are not only expensive but hard to find just whatyou want. Cutting out the graphic and gluing to a wood box is an excellent idea. Thanks all of you. Pete


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## tjcruiser

Pete,

For cardstock building plans, some other options, too ...

Inexpensive, print-your-own plans:

http://www.scalemodelplans.com/

Model Builder software:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/266-A51

http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/model-builder.html

TJ


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## norgale

Great links Tj. Back in the fourties, before plastic anything, lots of model rr stuff was made in cardboard. Buildings, rolling stock and even locomotives could be ordered,punched out of the card and assembled. Of course the rolling stock and locos didn't come close to running but the buildings could be used on a train set even before HO gauge was popular. Back then it was Lionel or American Flyer if I remember right but I was only 5 or 6 at the time.
With times the way they are now perhaps these printed models will make a comback.
My biggest problem right now would be getting the printed picture out of my printer at the right scale. Maybe somebody could post some container pics ect. in HO scale for us. Pete


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## Massey

Is there any way you could E-mail me the file for the containers? IE gives me an error whenever I try to download them. [email protected]

Thanks 
Massey


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## gunrunnerjohn

Which containers do you want? I have a direct fiber connection, so I think I won't miss the bandwidth.


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## xrunner

Hey I tried printing them out and I'm confused as to the scale of them.

The 45 ft hicube containers page says "N: 122mm"

http://www.norbtach.nl/bouwplaat/Cont45h/Cont45fth.html

The 45ft hicube Containers page says "N: 175mm"

http://www.norbtach.nl/bouwplaat/4cont45/4x45fthcont.html

I printed out both and they seem to be of differing scales, i.e. if you compare one out of the stack of 4 image it isn't the same size as the single one when printed out. If they are both 45 ft hicube containers then the scale should be the same, right? 

N scale is 1:160

45 / 160 = 0.281
.281 * 12 = 3.3 inches

The one that appears right when printed out according to my ruler is the single 45 ft cube.


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## sstlaure

I believe prototype standard containers are 10ft tall. @120" the HO scale equivalent would be 1.38 inches or ~35mm tall.


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## xrunner

sstlaure said:


> I believe prototype standard containers are 10ft tall. @120" the HO scale equivalent would be 1.38 inches or ~35mm tall.


Well Schaal is Dutch for scale, and the only printouts that are to N scale (1:160) when printed out are the single 45 ft containers he's got. The quad stack 45 ft containers are not long enough. They are about 2.25 inches which is not N scale for a 45 ft long physical object. 3.3 inches is N scale for 45 ft object.


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## xrunner

Yea he's got a slight scaling problem. If you look at the pages of the single containers it says "122mm" That's the exact horizontal length of the image on the paper when printed out, and it matches my printout.

The quad containers say "175mm" That should also be the exact size of the horz. image on paper, but it isn't correct on my printouts. I get 105 mm on paper for those.


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## sstlaure

Yeah....I couldn't convert the 122 or 175 into anything close to the 20, 40, 45, 48 or 53 ft containers. Lengths in N should be

20 ft - 38.1mm or 1.5"
40 ft - 76.2mm or 3.0"
45 ft - 85.7mm or 3.375"
48 ft - 91.4mm or 3.6"
53 ft - 101mm or 3.975"

Maybe they're giving a total length of the print including the heights of the cube boxes?

i.e. 122mm is the length + 2x height of 45 ft

85.7mm + 2x(19.05) = 123.8

Double stack 45's would be 85.7mm + 4x(19.05) ~ 162mm (they add some for the glue tabs?)


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## xrunner

Thanks for the confirmation. The single 45 ft images come out OK for me, like you said, 3.3 " assembled length (45 ft in N scale), but the quad stack doesn't - way too short. I can scale it using Irfanview, but I'll have to play with it. But still, printing them out in original DPI should be all that you have to do. I wonder if I can email the guy about it?


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## xrunner

sstlaure said:


> Yeah....I couldn't convert the 122 or 175 into anything close to the 20, 40, 45, 48 or 53 ft containers.
> 
> Maybe they're giving a total length of the print including the heights of the cube boxes?
> 
> i.e. 122mm is the length + 2x height of 45 ft


Yea, the 122mm and 175mm is total horz print size coming out of the printer, I guess he wants you to know what size paper to use? 

Nevertheless, If you print out and assemble a paper model of the singe 45 ft cube, it is a good N scale replica. The quad stack isn't, and I'm pretty sure that stacking 4 cubes together doesn't warp spacetime enough to shrink the length so much. :laugh:


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## sstlaure

I figure that's a ton of free graphics work that was done. When the time comes for me to make a ton of these I'll just scale them myself.


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## norgale

Looks to me like the top link is for N scale containers and the second link is for Z scale containers. Anybody? Pete


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## xrunner

sstlaure said:


> I figure that's a ton of free graphics work that was done. When the time comes for me to make a ton of these I'll just scale them myself.


Yea, I'm just surprised the guy didn't catch it, he seems like a very detail-oriented person, which makes me think I'm doing something wrong with the quad stack, but I've no idea what it could be.

Edit: Scale the quads up by 1.52 and it will print out the right size...


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## xrunner

I emailed the guy about his pics and he did check into it and found an error. He changed the webpage to show the correct scaling for the quads, which for N scale is 158 mm horizontal, not 175 mm like it was. He did say though that you should scale it in the print preview yourself, i.e the pics are not the correct size as is.


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## xrunner

He sent me a link to 48 ft containers which aren't shown on his web page. He said I could post the link in the forum -

http://www.norbtach.nl/bouwplaat/Cont48h/Cont48h.html


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## xrunner

Playing around with one of the container models -


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## norgale

How come what I select on the monitor screen prints out smaller that what's on the screen? Pete


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## xrunner

norgale said:


> How come what I select on the monitor screen prints out smaller that what's on the screen? Pete


I'll try to help you.

What you see on the screen (the size) has no relationship at all to what you need to print out. You click on the image of the container you want, then it brings up another image. You right click on that image, them save it. Then you have to print out the saved image according to the scaling factor dimension he has on the page. For example the quad containers have a Horizontal N scale dimension of 158 mm. this means that the image has to be scaled by the print out program to have this dimension horizontally, and that you should keep the aspect ration constant so the vertical dimension is scaled correctly when you scale the horizontal dimension to 158 mm. Irfanview does this (that's what I use).

http://www.irfanview.com/

The N scale containers don't have to be scaled, so try one of those first, just print out the image "original size from DPI" (don't select best fit to page or other options in the printout menu) and the printout should be correct.


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## norgale

Thanks for that Xrunner. I had an HO sale container where I have my layout and I brought it home with me today. After compaing the printed copy of a container with the actual container I found that the printout was the right size. It just looked too small to me but it's ok.
These printed containers are pretty neat. I'll try and make a wood or hevy cradboard shell to glue the printout to and make myself some containers. Beats the heck out of paying $6 or $7 apiece for them. 
So thanks again for your help and I do understand what you told me. Actually I need to read the directions for my printer to see how to operate it for different sizes. Later. Pete


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## xrunner

Don't know if any is interested but I found these to be useful:

Free printable scale rulers -

http://www.miniature-planet.com/scale_rulers.php


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## optronomega

I have another site that I've printed some off from.

http://www.igshansa.de/igsdownload.html

They have a lot that are already in HO scale.


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## optronomega

xrunner said:


> Don't know if any is interested but I found these to be useful:
> 
> Free printable scale rulers -
> 
> http://www.miniature-planet.com/scale_rulers.php


Very handy, thank you for the link.


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## norgale

*Paper containers*

Printed out some paper containers that I got off of a thread on here. Can't remember which one though. Anyway I put some together tonight and they don't look bad at all. 
You have to cut them out exactly and fold the glue tabs and the rest nice and even to get the container to come out straight and even. I used Titebond lll glue 'cause it sets up pretty fast and it worked fine for this. These containers will probably have to be glued down to a car or the ground on the layout because they are very light and a small breeze will blow them away.
Thanks to whoever posted the link to these printouts. Great Idea. Pete


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## tjcruiser

Pete ... I merged your post to the "original" thread.

Sidebar -- c'mon guys, use the Search tool ... that's what it's there for.

TJ


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## gunrunnerjohn

You could always put some weight in the bottom of the containers as you assemble them, a couple of the 1oz stick-on wheel weights I use to add weight to cars would work well.


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## norgale

Not a problem TJ. Didn't think to use the search. Thanks for the move. Pete


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## sstlaure

norgale said:


> These containers will probably have to be glued down to a car or the ground on the layout because they are very light and a small breeze will blow them away.


Hog out the bottom and put lead in it like back in the day with pinewood derby cars.


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## gunrunnerjohn

sstlaure said:


> Hog out the bottom and put lead in it like back in the day with pinewood derby cars.


It's paper, I don't think he put wood in them.


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## sstlaure

Ohhhhh. I assumed he wrapped them around a wood block.


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## gunrunnerjohn

That's why I suggest the lead weights, easy to just wrap them inside the paper.


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## sstlaure

I may make some blank boxes from Styrene for these to wrap around (I've got a 2'x4' sheet of it)


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## gunrunnerjohn

I think I'd just use wood, I have a woodworking shop with lots of tools.  You can use hardwood for more weight if desired. I think it would be easier to cut them from wood to exact dimensions.


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## sstlaure

I've got a jigsaw and a drill. I make due with my crude tools. (At least for woodworking that is....I've got a fortune in automotive tools.)


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## gunrunnerjohn

I have a table saw, band saw router table, planer, as well as a host of power hand tools. I don't think doing this project would be too much of a challenge.


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## norgale

I started to try and make some basswood boxes to wrap with the cutouts but it seemed to be too much of a challange for me to get the box cut just right. If it's too small or too big by just a whisker the wrap won't fit right. Unlike the first link to container printouts these had floors on them making a complete box where as the other printout didn't have a bottom to them. I don't suppose it would be a big problem to add a floor before you started to cut it out but the second link has bottoms on the printout and glue tabs so that makes the job a lot easier. I was thinking of a thin wood bottom or some wood skids under the container for a little added weight. Prolly the stick on weight on the inside would be the best solution. Pete


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## sstlaure

That's why I was thinking styrene. Real easy to get nice crisp corners. With a little 1/4" square stock in the corners for bracing internally.


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## norgale

Another thing I'm thinking about is if water gets splashed on a container. The ink from the printer will run like crazy. Maybe a coating of Krylon Crystal Clear spray sealer would be in order too. Pete


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## xrunner

norgale said:


> Another thing I'm thinking about is if water gets splashed on a container. The ink from the printer will run like crazy. Maybe a coating of Krylon Crystal Clear spray sealer would be in order too. Pete


Yea, I spray mine with clear matte finish.


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## gunrunnerjohn

norgale said:


> I started to try and make some basswood boxes to wrap with the cutouts but it seemed to be too much of a challange for me to get the box cut just right.


Since the printouts are free, I'd just setup and work the sizing until I got the perfect size, then crank out a number of them, piece of cake.


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## Artieiii

xrunner said:


> Yea, I spray mine with clear matte finish.


I spray mine with matt as well...in case of splatter. It works well and gives the paper a little more rigidity.
-Art


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## Robbo

This is Robbo, how do i down load them.


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## xrunner

Robbo said:


> This is Robbo, how do i down load them.


Go to the image you want and right click on it. Select save as ...


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## jacobdebono3

Sorry, I can't access your link. When I click it, it immediately brings me to a site with nothing but ".

Do you know how to fix it?

Best Regards, Jacob


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## feldon30

I e-mailed the owner of the site to see if he can bring it back. It's possible to view the site through http://archive.org/ but the site is so unbelievably glacial it's painful.


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## Shdwdrgn

I started working on a local copy from the wayback archive. I still need to work on some of the links, but a good portion of it is working here: http://sourpuss.net/mirror/home.wanadoo.nl/schatborn/

[Update] The mirror has been completed as much as possible. The only problem that I can see is a missing image at the top-left of the page, but all the important elements are there.

[Update2] In digging around for archives of the original page, I discovered that the author appears to have put the page back up again at a new address. Please see http://home.online.nl/schatborn/ for the new version.


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## Viperjim1

I can't seem to get this site to load from the link, what is the exact site link and address thanks in advance .


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## wannod

*Scale train HO plans for free*

First off im really new to Forums and to Pintrest and model scale train buiding.
I was on pintrest and found a spot that says free ho scale plans but i cant figure out how to print and if i do print how do i know if its at the propr
er scale size i need
an anyone help me.Oh by the way i may b just not seeing where to click on the pintrest site, i forgot to mention that im legally blind so i only c a small part of the screen at the time.
here is the site i was on
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/154177987218373070/


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## wannod

ummmmm i just copied and pasted to here, from the url bar at top of my screen. i geuss i should have said im not to good with computers either lol


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## wannod

thanks i will give it a try


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## High-Hood-CraZy

Thanks for the links. Did anyone find one for 53 foot containers. I tried all these, but none have 53 footers. Thanks in advance.


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## CTValleyRR

Seeing how the thread is 5-1/2 years old, I'm thinking you won't get much of an answer...


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## High-Hood-CraZy

CTValleyRR said:


> Seeing how the thread is 5-1/2 years old, I'm thinking you won't get much of an answer...


Thanks. I had that feeling, so I also made a new post. Hopefully I'll get some leads. So many sources for 40, 45 and 48. I realize 53 is mostly unique to the U.S., but there's a bunch of us, right?


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## Old_Hobo

CTValleyRR said:


> Seeing how the thread is 5-1/2 years old, I'm thinking you won't get much of an answer...


Actually, it started TEN years ago!


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## vette-kid

Old_Hobo said:


> Actually, it started TEN years ago!


And yet, the information is still useful!

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk


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## Old_Hobo

Oh, no question about that….


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## CTValleyRR

Old_Hobo said:


> Oh, no question about that….


Agree. That's not the issue with old posts. But when you ask a question, odds are pretty good that the original participants are long gone.


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