Rolland containers

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I don't know if any of you are aware, but Walthers has a new line of containers on sale:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=&scale=&manu=rolland&item=&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=30&Submit=Search

Rolland appears to be a Chinese contract plastics producer, making hard hats and other items doing with the models. I was curious how these containers came about. Could these be the lost tooling from Deluxe? After ordering a pile and inspecting then against Deluxe, Arnold and Hobbytrain models, it is apparent that are indeed new tooling.

The detailing on the containers is good. The ribs may be a bit shallow, but everything is crisp and well molded. Like Deluxe containers, these do not have functional inter box connecting pegs, which is a bit unfortunate. They do have magnets, and will stick to Kato, Hobbytrain and Arnold containers also do equipped. The containers are also true 1/160 scale, so no worries there. The 20' box has a slightly higher height than the Hobbytrain 20' box. Maybe 8' 6" scale height?

Painting is a step above Walthers, and on par with Hobbytrain. I don't think it is quite as nice as the newest Deluxe scenes - both containers in a pack share a road number.

Walthers has these for $18 a pack, or $9 each container. Certainly no bargain. Hopefully the price will fall when they flood the market just as Walthers own containers have done.

These will be a good stop gap until Deluxe can get back into production again. It's still a better alternative than the ugly Con-Cor boxes.

[GaryHinshaw]

Excellent to hear this, thank you for the post.  Are the 20 footers the same height as the Deluxe 20 footers?

Now if we could get some new (non Con-Cor) 53 footers in Hunt, Schneider, and HUB (green), I'd be really happy...

[lock4244]

Hmmm... it'd be fatal to Mr Wallet if they did CAST 20'ers.

[Scottl]

Great news.  I for one would welcome a flood of container models on the market.  Kato and Deluxe are not putting them out in sufficient variety and regularity for my needs.

[Denver Road Doug]

Thanks for the review.    I just ordered one each Maersk and Hyundai.   The Hyundai scheme they are using is a little too new for me, but they'll be close enough.  May try to backdate them, dunno.

With all the variety of boxes and schemes it will be a good while before having another producer of n-scale containers is a bad thing.   I agree about the 53ft JB Hunt container especially...would love to have some of them....would prefer the earlier generation of 53's though.

[mu26aeh]

I will still stump for DigCom Designs for those looking for containers and even 53' highway trailers.  For $5.95, you can print as many containers as you wish via a PDF file.  As for the trailers, you can order wheels and landing gear sets from Deluxe Innovations, they have an item number just for this use.  You can find DigCom Designs on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/DigComDesigns.US

Here is container catalog, 20 ft to 53 ft and anything in between.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/tzg0lhwkcqy8by6/CATALOG_3.0_SEA_CONTAINERS.pdf

[James Costello]

I will still stump for DigCom Designs for those looking for containers and even 53' highway trailers. 

I won't. I'll have 3D details thanks.

[James Costello]

I agree about the 53ft JB Hunt container especially...would love to have some of them....would prefer the earlier generation of 53's though.

What's your primary modelling timeframe again Doug? Cutoff 98-99?

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I won't. I'll have 3D details thanks.

Yeah, paper models just feels like a huge step backwards after all these years of Deluxe containers. I just can't bring myself to do it.

[Denver Road Doug]

What's your primary modelling timeframe again Doug? Cutoff 98-99?

No a little later...I've been sticking to something like '99-'03, and laser-focus down to the year 2000 when it's helpful to have a single year for things like gas pump prices and the like.

I started at 97-98 a decade ago, then quickly moved to 98-99 before pushing out to 2000 when the TXUX cars hit from FVM.   That also gives me the AutoMax and Trincool cars.   The reality is, I will probably eventually expand my timeframe out to the swoosh and the first SD70ACe's and Gensets.  But for now I'm trying to hold steady, simply from a budget standpoint.

From an intermodal standpoint, a lot of it holds up for a decent range.  As time goes, so do more and more BN America cans, then NACS largely fade away, and eventually 48's dwindle down as 53's ruled.  But the 40's and 45's hold up other than a few mergers here and there.   From a pure "scheme x on container length y" standpoint I have about 99% of what I need outside the JBH 53's.   I do think when I get out past about 2004 the corrugated 53's really start to overtake the makeup of a train--the first really significant change in my mind--which is another reason I'm trying to keep things reeled in.   Most of what I'm suggesting is just a generalization based on research and my memory of what I think I recall.   So certainly stand to be corrected...I know a lot of my info came from you and I'm sure I forgot some of it over the years.  I am trying to write everything down now so it's not so up in the air.   I do have a ton of research and photos to guide me.   I think I have a pretty believable roster.

[mu26aeh]

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Not my video, but there are plastic Deluxe trailers and DigCom printed trailers in this video.  I will take a printed trailer anytime.  Especially right now seeing that they are almost non-existent and even with the containers, there are names that aren't being done in plastic, ie the Arrowwedge UP "container". 

[James Costello]

and even with the containers, there are names that aren't being done in plastic, ie the Arrowwedge UP "container".

I'll still take a Shapeways Arrowedge over a printed one.

[James Costello]

No a little later...I've been sticking to something like '99-'03, and laser-focus down to the year 2000

Cool - good to know from a JBH roster point of view.

[Denver Road Doug]

So I just got mine today.   I think they're very nice, although I must admit I've done nothing but take a few pics and some quick measurements.   And not 100% sure if the measurements are good or bad at this point.  Maybe y'all can chime in.   Sorry about the large photos if they are indeed large on your screen.





Each 40ft container I got measures 9.5ft tall x 8ft wide x 40ft long.

[Denver Road Doug]