Intermodal Modeling

[pdash]

Hi all,

My interest in N scale model railroading really spiked with all the cool intermodal cars & containers now available - Gundersons, Maxi-stacks, etc? What manufacturer produces quality intermodal cars at affordable prices - Atlas, DeLuxe Innovations, Kato?

Regards,
Paul

[railfan]

It seems like right now stack train well cars with containers are perhaps the most in demand type of rolling stock going today. Therefore they are high priced. If you google and search around for awhile you can find some three car sets with two containers per car (mostly kato) for around $70-72. At that price those might not be the newest styles. Many outlets get $110 for the newest three piece set of TTX cars....or $150 for five car set.

I bought a bunch of these bachmann flatcars with containers for $10 each. They come in four different roads and two different container brands/colors. They have metal wheels and bachmann knuckle couplers. They are nice high quality/value alternative to the fancy katos for less than half the price. Of course they're not as cool.

Mike

[D&J RailRoad]

I kinda saw this coming over 10 years ago and took an opportunity to buy more than 80 mixed size containers at .60 each.

[pdash]

I've read that these intermodal cars are very delicate and require special handling when taking them out of the plastic container and setting them on the tracs.

[railfan]

I kinda saw this coming over 10 years ago and took an opportunity to buy more than 80 mixed size containers at .60 each.

Good call on that! I wish I could guess the next big thing coming in model RRing and make it pay.

[TrinityJayOne]

The Kato MAXI-I double stack well cars are $150 on Katousa.com, but you can find them cheaper than that online. I just got my preorder of them this week and they're excellent.

[pdash]

What size curves to intermodal cars - Gunderson Maxi-stacks, twinstacks, and spine-cars require?

- Paul

[TrinityJayOne]

I've taken my MAXI-I double stacks around 11" curves without issue. Kato generally design their stuff to navigate a 9.75" curve minimum, in fact I think there's a gentlemen's agreement between the main manufacturers that 9.75" is the yard stick.

[railfan]

Yeah.....9.75" radius is the smallest fixed curve track atlas makes in N code 80. I doubt any prototype track curves that tight. Some long passenger cars won't work on 9.75". Right now someone has a bunch of new auctions of walthers TTX well cars with containers on ebay.

Sorry can't give any definitive answer to the question....but I can at least hang out here and pretend to be doing something. Hee ha!


Mike

[pdash]

I've taken my MAXI-I double stacks around 11" curves without issue. Kato generally design their stuff to navigate a 9.75" curve minimum, in fact I think there's a gentlemen's agreement between the main manufacturers that 9.75" is the yard stick.

TrinityJayOne, help me understand the different curve sizes in N scale. If the minimum is 9.75" radius, what is the maximum? What do some curves come in degrees?

If you are using 11" curves, then I presume that the diameter is 22" which translates to about 2 ft wide space..correct?

So, if I were to go with long maxi-stack consists like 6 or more 3-unit cars, then I should consider 11" or higher..correct?

Does Kato uni-track come in 11" radius curves or higer?

- Paul