Maxi Stack cars that are close to MTH Premier

The Lionel Maxi-Stacks are more of a traditional size, closer to S scale. The Lionel Husky Stacks are closer to scale, but still not a true 1:48. I took a quick photo to show you the Lionel on the left vs. MTH Premier on the right. Of course in 1:1 world, the containers aren't necessarily all of the same size either.

Rob

Once upon a time, there was a fantastic topic about all the different intermodal items made for O gauge. Unfortunately, it accidentally got deleted about five years ago. It had all the details of which containers fit in which cars. The person who gathered all the data and started the topic, has since left the forum.

Having examples of almost every different intermodal item ever produced, in my collection, I suppose, if I was feeling ambitious, I could take the photos and do the research to try and recreate what was lost. 

As for the OP's question, 40' containers were made by a number of manufacturers, Atlas, K-line and Right of Way. I'm not sure if Weaver ever made any 40's, but they had 20's which are now being made by Atlas. A new entry in the 40' arena is Menards. They actually seem to have found and reproduced the old Right of Way well car, and make containers for it. They are now selling just the containers without the car. These were announced in just tha last couple weeks.

45's are just made by Atlas as far as I know, and I think the MTH's are 48's. Atlas started doing the 53's a few years ago.

Lionel just did a batch their "scale" cars, but I haven't really examined their dimensions. All of this stuff was in that lost topic, except for the newest additions, which was why it was such a loss to the forum when it got deleted.

I made my own Maxi-Stack cars using MTH Premier husky stack cars. It takes quite a bit of custom work but all in all, they are perfect for any 40, 45, or 48' containers in the lower well, and up to 53' on top of the lower container. Here's a couple pics.

Jeff, I'm still kicking myself for not buying that one of yours that came up on eBay a few years ago.

The K-Line Maxi-Stack 40' well cars are scale sized. They were only 2-unit cars as sold.

They are not in production right now. Bachmann might still be able to produce them. 

Bachmann needs to know of the demand for true O scale Maxi-Stack 5-unit, 40' well cars.

Andrew

falconservice posted:

The K-Line Maxi-Stack 40' well cars are scale sized. They were only 2-unit cars as sold.

They are not in production right now. Bachmann might still be able to produce them. 

Bachmann needs to know of the demand for true O scale Maxi-Stack 5-unit, 40' well cars.

Andrew

Actually, K-line made single cars as well. I know because I broke one when it fell six feet to the concrete floor. Sheared both truck screws off in the body. I have to find some replacement shoulder screws, and figure out how to get the broken threads out. It's on my workbench. I just moved it a couple hours ago.

That would be cool if they brought them back, and a 5 unit would be fantastic.

I have one of the K-Line single 40' well Gunderson intermodal cars. There are the regular truck ends and the articulated truck ends for their die-cast Gunderson 40' well cars.

There would have to be an organized pre-order petition for the people at Bachmann to notice that operators want them to produce the cars as 5-unit articulated editions. 

Andrew

Does the atlas 40 ft containers fit in the kline 40 ft well cars thanks 

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Once upon a time, there was a fantastic topic about all the different intermodal items made for O gauge. Unfortunately, it accidentally got deleted about five years ago. It had all the details of which containers fit in which cars. The person who gathered all the data and started the topic, has since left the forum.

All of this stuff was in that lost topic, except for the newest additions, which was why it was such a loss to the forum when it got deleted.

While the original O scale intermodal primer disappeared, Ted Hikel followed up with this intermodal thread in March 2015...

O Scale Freight Car Guide: Intermodal Cars

First- @tom caron the Atlas 40’ technically don’t fit in the wells as the pegs at the bottom of the K-kine well cars have pegs that are too large for the Atlas’s very small peg holes. That said, as both the K-line containers and Atlas are scale and share the same distance between pin holes, and Atlas 40’ can fit on top of a K-line 40’, 2 k-line 20’, 2 Weaver 20’(with modification), and two RoW 20’ roughly work with an Atlas 40’ above- although they’re a bit short leaving a gap in the middle.

Sorry to restart such an old thread- but this opportunity seems like a good one to introduce my idea for the trying to re-post and add info from the original intermodal thread. I’ve been compiling info on dimensions for intermodal containers(Length, width & height), the dimensions for each well, the “adapter” method for each container or well car(fixed pegs, removable pegs, pegs protrude from well), and a compatibility matrix of what containers fit in which well cars or on/under another brands container.

There are a couple of issues that have prevented me from posting:

1.) determining the scope: I would like to include things like K-line, Weaver and other flat cars but that was proving to be a bit much

2.)  I don’t personally have- Lionel Husky Stacks cars or containers , MTH Premier Husky stacks cars, or 2 or 5 car spine sets

That said, might give it a shot with what I have

@250rman the Lionel Maxi stacks containers are far from scale. Converting their measurement to 1/4 of an inch makes the 32.5’ scale- well undersized(no pun intended). For reference, here are some scale intermodal containers on a variety of different types & brands of cars:

K-line Thrall well car- 16.5.” Long. The  well size is 40 scale feet so 10”. This Car is, at least in size and design, prototypically  Representative of a thrall well car with a 40’ well. Unfortunately, this Thrall well car represents itself as having a 48’ well with the large 48 next to the APL on both sides. In addition, it further misrepresents the actual well length with  markings that read “ 40’, 45’. 48’ “on the outside portion of the top of the well. That said, there are some K-line Thrall well cars that have a 40 on the outside and thus accurately portrayed. The bottom container is a K-line 40’ And top is an Atlas 40’

Menards well car- 17.5” in length. Well isTwo slightly modified Weaver 20’ container in the well, Atlas 40’ container on top

again the Menards well car. The Menards containers are undersized(19”). Bottom containers are ROW 20’, although they’re exact measure is closer to 4.9. Regardless, the left side of the well car shows how the Menards 40’ container is too small for the ROW 20’ containers.

Atlas 40’ container or 2 RoW 20’ Containers. There is a slight gap in the middle

from left to right: Weaver bulkhead, modified to fit an Atlas or K-line 40’ container. The next 2 flats are K-line with removabal bulkheads. THe middle k-line flat has one Weaver 20’ And on MTH premier 20’, the last car to the right has two 20’ Weaver containers. Weaver containers have been modified- removed the bottom(as it has protrusionsthat make them incompatible with the other well cars and flats) and replaced it with the ROW bottom after drilling holes in the corners of the ROWs(replaced their length with thick styrene)

Here are some pics of what can be done with the K-Line Thrall and Gunderson 40’ well cars. There were a lot of modifications done to get these done, but I’m very pleased. It involves having a machine shop cut the ends off the Gunderson cars, and adding end platforms for each car to create the articulated effect. Here are a few pics of mine- the bottom pic is a MTH Premier 53’ well car that I made by starting with a 48’ husky stack, and splicing in a 5’ section to make it 53’.

Jeff, I just stumbled upon your video by accident a couple of minutes before I saw this post! Incredible! I just purchased a couple of K-Line WW Intermodal cars and was looking for where I might purchase some parts for them. I like what you have done with making them spine sets.

ConrailFan, thanks for the comments! Here’s a video of my current intermodal train I’m running which includes multiple custom stack car sets (with International containers). Those K-Line well cars make outstanding 5-car sets  email me offline if you want more info...thanks

The team at Bachmann is apparently very weary of remaking too many of the former K-Line freight cars.

They could slightly remake the O scale MAXI-STACK cars into five-unit cars, since they own a complete production facility.

Bachmann could be complementing or contrasting the line of cars from Atlas O.

Andrew

Jeff, Will do,. Once I saw that one I searched and saw all of them!!! I will touch base with you off line. Thanks!

Lionel needs to re-run their beautiful blue Maersk Stack cars. Are the Atlas stack cars correct for running them as Maersk cars? Been awhile since we've seen any of those.

Which ones work with Lionel's Mi-Jack accessory? I assume the Lionel cars do, but such assumptions are not always valid.

Hal

MAERSK had Gunderson built MAXI-STACK five-unit cars with 40' wells. That has not been made as an O scale car yet.

Here is a link to photos of the real cars

http://www.rrpicturearchives.n...ture.aspx?id=1285379

Kato N scale model

This not exactly what LIONEL has produced in O gauge or O scale.

Andrew