Athearn N Scale Announcements - March 22, 2019

[Mark5]

Another run of TankTrain tankers:

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/032219/06_N_GATX_TankTrain_032219.pdf

20' Corrugated Containers (I assume these are modern):

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/032219/07_N_20ft_Container_032219.pdf

And, big news for me personally (finally!): N 40’ Smooth-Side Container:

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/032219/08_N_40ft_Container_032219.pdf

They will be getting some of my $ for the 40' containers.

Mark

[ai5629]

Those 40’ cans will spice up my mid 80’s intermodal trains nicely.  Thank you Athearn.

Jeff

[cfritschle]

20' Corrugated Containers (I assume these are modern):

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/032219/07_N_20ft_Container_032219.pdf

Mark

Mark,

The dual logo panels on the 20-ft containers dates them a bit.  I will need to check my photos, but I am fairly certain those were around in the 1980s.

[MetroRedLine]

Mark,

The dual logo panels on the 20-ft containers dates them a bit.  I will need to check my photos, but I am fairly certain those were around in the 1980s.

The 20' containers are all 1990s era, judging from the shipping line schemes. APL had a burgundy scheme in the '90s, K-Line is using a rare yellow scheme (they're known for their solid red containers) and the MOL container is using the old crocodile logo.

[sundowner]

The late tank train is really tempting.

[cfritschle]

While dual logo panel 20-ft containers were in use in the 1990s, they were also in use in the 1980s.

This pair in DTTX 62072 were photographed in Nampa, ID on September 7,1985.



And here is a similar APL 20-ft container photographed in Nampa on September 23, 1989.



I apologize for the pictures not being sharper, but who knew 30 years ago that we were someday going to be able to scan them, and share the photos on the internet.   

[nkalanaga]

Some of the 40 ft schemes are good for the early 70s, but when were the smooth side containers themselves introduced?  Finding early 70s container photos isn't easy, and most are the early ribbed containers, similar to MT's.

[jagged ben]

Well, if they hadn't put conspicuity stripes on the tank train it'd be a trifecta for me.  Thank goodness.        I'm going to be in for a lot of Athearn containers this year! 

The smooth side 40s all would have 1970s origins, as far as I know, although they would still have been in use well into the 80s and sometimes 90s.  (By the 80s, exterior post and corrugated boxes were taking over new stuff, I believe.)  The APL scheme (lettering inside the eagle) is a 70's scheme that was around well into the 80s and perhaps later.  I have a 1988 sighting in my collection, although the latest confirmed smooth side is 1980.  The Mitsui scheme with the broad red stripe I have spanning at least '78 to '93.  The NYK I have at least '85 to '92.  K-Line I have confirmed from '75 to '94.  K-Line's solid red came in the 80s so this one is good for 'early', i.e. 1970s.

Here is a picture, literally, of the 2nd number Athearn is doing in OOCL, in 1976.

The NOL scheme I have less on, but I can confirm 1979. 

Moving on to the 20 footers...

Here is the SSI in 1985.  (Someone at Athearn is a Ron Hawkins fan.)   I also have a 1978 sighting.  That's a great early 20ft scheme.   

Australia New Zealand Direct Line were seen on UP APL stacktrains in the mid-90s, minus the Transamerica logo and dual logo.  I'll have to go for those just because they're interesting.  Not sure about time span.

The K-Line and MOL have the 'T.I.R.' logo which I read somewhere is some later-era customs expediting system, it may be post 9/11.    Athearn may be taking slight liberties putting these schemes on a dual-logo panel box.

I'm not aware of that Hanjin scheme being earlier than the mid-80s.   The other's I'm less familiar with. 

[Mark5]

Thanks Ben,

I'll try to dig up more on the 40 footers in the 70s.

My gut reaction was that I'd be buying all six sets 

Mark

[nkalanaga]

Jagged Ben:  That OOCL container isn't new in the picture, judging by the rusty corner posts, so it looks like I could get away with a brand-new one in 1974.

Thank you!

[Missaberoad]

The K-Line and MOL have the 'T.I.R.' logo which I read somewhere is some later-era customs expediting system, it may be post 9/11.    Athearn may be taking slight liberties putting these schemes on a dual-logo panel box.

Not sure on the Era of the containers, but TIR plates have been around since the 1970s (the convention concerning them was 1975)
Its more of a European thing, but North American countries do participate to some extent...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Oh damn, those containers are hot.

I'm gonna need some chassis now too.

[Mark5]

On page 125 of Volume 1 of the Piggyback Color Guide (Kinkaid) there is a photo of 40' K Line 204375, and it says "It's subject was part of the set 204251-204450 assembled circa 1969" - so the series Athearn did is good back to 1969!

[Mark5]

On the Mitsui OSK 40', there is a photo of 201799 on page 79 of Volume 2 of the Piggyback Color Guide (Kinkaid) which states "from the series 201401-201899 (near, furnished in 1979)".

[Atlanticflier]

The pdf drawings of the  20' containers seem to have the large vents in the top of the flat panels, maybe some of the earliest design of a vented type, my research list this type as late 1970's builds. Most builders went to the small vents that fit within a 'valley', between ribs, in the early 1980's for vented containers. Square rib style corrugations. Would like to see the fronts and door types.

Steve