Athearn N Smoothside (Sheet Post) 40' Containers

[Mark5]

I picked up a bunch of these today ...

I included in the photos a JTC smoothie for comparison (I also have a bunch of the JTC cans). A few things to note:

• The Athearn model appears to be a different prototype - especially on the roofs
• The rivet size on the Athearn model is tiny compared to the JTC

• The JTC model is slightly longer (the Athearn model is exactly 40' long according to my N scale ruler
• The Athearn model is taller: 9' tall compared to 8'6" on the JTC

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Athearn on bottom:
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Athearn in front
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Athearn on right:
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Athearn on right:
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Mark

[jagged ben]

Just got mine as well.  Hadn't noticed the height difference yet.  That  seems a little bizarre; I didn't think 8'x9'x40' was a thing.  'Hi-cube' is normally 9.5' high.  That said, when I perused my photo collection I did find a few photos that look like containers with height differences that could be 6".   

The rivet differences are a little jarring.  I think Athearn did a better job, but maybe too much better.  Here we are, literally rivet counting on containers.   

[MetroRedLine]

Wow, interesting. The height difference is really noticeable.

Do the pins mate between the Athearn and JTC? I only have a modern standard-height Athearn (Xines) and the pins mate perfectly with the JTCs (and Atlas and Walthers containers).

I'm relieved that I do modern-era; the height difference here would bug me quite a bit.

[Mark5]

Do the pins mate between the Athearn and JTC?

Not an issue for me in the 1970s, but if you look at the stacked photo above, the pins are "in" on one end but don't match up on the other end (the right side of the photo).

Mark

[ai5629]

Has anyone tried putting either the JTC or Athearn 40’ containers on the deck any of the available 85’ flatcar (Trainworx) or 89’ flatcars (Atlas, Athearn, BLMA or MTL) to see if they fit?  When shipped in this manner, I thought their was something on the floor of the flatcar that helped keep the cans in place, some type of bracket.  If an N scale manufacturer molded those in place on the flatcar deck, you would need to see if the container fit that space.  For those of us who model the 1960’s through the mid 1980’s, this is one of two ways they would have been shipped.  The other being on a chassis like normal TOFC.  This has been something I have started to ponder since these 40’ containers have started to arrive and people have noted small size differences.  Thanks.

Jeff

[Mark5]

Has anyone tried putting either the JTC or Athearn 40’ containers on the deck any of the available 85’ flatcar (Trainworx) or 89’ flatcars (Atlas, Athearn, BLMA or MTL) to see if they fit?

Almost all of my freight cars are boxed up (impending move) so I haven't tried yet. I have several of the MTL 89' flats that came specifically equipped with the brackets to hold the containers in place (20' or 40'). I also have some AC (NSK) 60' flats that I building specifically for COFC.

Off hand, I think the Trainworx, Athearn, and Atlas/Blma flats are set up for TOFC.

Here's a link with a photo illustrating the MTL "brackets" - I have one that came configured for 4 20' containers and another that came configured for 2 40' containers:

https://www.walthers.com/89-4-quot-intermodal-container-flatcar-cofc-w-load-3-pack-ready-to-run-canadian-pacific-521120-521133-521219-action-red-3-different-containers

[nkalanaga]

Both Athearn and JTC fit MT and Trainworx just fine, although the Athearn are tight on the MT flats.  And, yes, the pins should be removed, as the early pedestals don't need them.

The problem isn't the length, but the width.  Athearn containers are wider than the JTC, by a tiny bit, and they don't like to go into the MT pedestals.  The Trainworx flats will hold almost any container, as the pedestals are wider.  In fact, they're a little too wide for scale containers, apparently so they can also hold the old, over-wide containers from Trix, Arnold, Con-Cor, etc.  I shimmed mine on one car, so scale containers don't slide around.  JTC, MT and the old Interrail containers fit fine.  Athearn won't go in!

On my JTC containers I'm removing the pins from one container, and leaving them on the other in the package, so that one can be put on a chassis.

[jagged ben]

Atlas and Atlas/BLMA flats come with tiny little individual pedestals for each corner of a container.  I guess you are supposed to glue them to your container and then glue the container and then glue the assembly to the deck?   It doesn't seem to lend itself to temporary setups, which to me is not good for intermodal.   On the other hand, there's no fitting issues.   

[Mark5]

Atlas and Atlas/BLMA flats come with tiny little individual pedestals for each corner of a container.  I guess you are supposed to glue them to your container and then glue the container and then glue the assembly to the deck?   It doesn't seem to lend itself to temporary setups, which to me is not good for intermodal.   On the other hand, there's no fitting issues.   

Good to know (FWIW) - thanks!

[nkalanaga]

Interesting.  I've never tried to put containers on my BLMA flats.  If I do, I might just drill some holes and use MT pedestals.  I've added pins to mine, with holes drilled in the cast-in pedestal tracks in the decks, so that I can vary the container types and locations.  The holes barely show, and it's nice to be able to run a single 20 ft box on one end, three equally spaced 20 ft, or 20-40-20, or even odd-length containers, like the Sealand 35 ft, with modified pedestal assemblies.

[James Costello]

I'm relieved that I do modern-era; the height difference here would bug me quite a bit.

I'm not sure I follow - standard height and hi-cube ISO containers are still common in the modern era, and noticeable.

[nkalanaga]

Even in the 70s containers came in different heights:


MORFLOT owned a variety of containers, and apparently they weren't uncommon in the US.  it would be interesting if someone made one, as there aren't too many opportunities to have Soviet equipment on an American railroad.

[MetroRedLine]

I'm not sure I follow - standard height and hi-cube ISO containers are still common in the modern era, and noticeable.

Yes I know - I mix modern standard height and high-cube all the time; but I wouldn't need these particular Athearn or JTC smoothside container models (which are both intended to be standard height containers despite not having matching heights) since they would be obsolete in my era.

[Mark5]

Strange thing here is that I always thought "standard" is 8'6", and hi-cube 9'6".

[jagged ben]

Strange thing here is that I always thought "standard" is 8'6", and hi-cube 9'6".

Yes that's correct. Wondering if Athearn just goofed or if there was a 70s era prototype that was actaully 9ft tall.  Again, some photos I have make me wonder, but nothing close up enough to truly illuminate.