HO double stack containers


G'day all ,,,Hope someone might be able to help.. So far I've added two sets of Gunderson TTX well cars to my layout..Athearn ones...run superbly too good in fact...they'll race away from me down grades inclines if they uncouple...no joke..
I'm in Australia and it's so hard to get hold of 40 and 53 ft containers in HO , plenty of OO scale but obviously too big... so I kitbashed 20ft containers to do the job with 10 wellcars .. Couldn't help myself when I spotted another set of Gundersons in a store I buy from today..$119...but this time I'd like to add some genuine 40 ft/53ft top layer
containers (10 preferably) to these beauties...
What's the best online stores in the USA for this purpose , nothing here in OZ..
Any assistance greatly accepted and acknowledged...Cheers Rod..
 
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Thanks Michael

Thanks Michael,,,Quick reply...awesome...Don't buy a lot overseas to Australia only because unless you buy a big order , the postage is usually in region of $40-50 and is often nearly as much as item/s..P Tyranny of distance . Pretty good here usually for online items but at present a real shortage of decent well car containers..plenty of card kit ones but I hate them...except for intermodal yard scenes etc... Will try Model Train Stuff site later today..I'm currently in process of building struts for a new , improved BNSF/Santa Fe..shelf -room layout to replace my original table one.
Once I've got some track running I'd be happy to add some shots.. I'm using Intermountain and BLI locos...Cheers Rod.....thanks again
 
I 2nd modeltrainstuff.com (M.B.Klien) Rod, always look there first. Best site for searching, tells you numbers in stock, has best packaging and tracking, very rare to find prices cheaper elsewhere and their mailing prices are usually likewise.
 
No luck yet

G'day all, Took your advice and contacted Model Train Stuff yesterday and got back today, Saturday, a quick reply. Unfortunately the haven't got the
40 ft containers I'm after at present.. Can help me with Maersk 20ft ones but
I can get them here in OZ .. They'll let me know if/when they have more of the others... The postage per item was about $11 but I'm not sure how that'd work if I bought maybe a dozen if it happens.. as an aside I found a You Tube of an incredible train store in Dreshler Nebraska that is in just a small town..that has the lot....Absolutely unbelievable...Every major manufacturer, aisle after aisle of stuff locomotives , rolling stock , scenery items, control........how long is a piece of string as they say..video went for 8 minutes and barely touched the surface..I emailed them about containers and one or two other things on the chance they ship overseas..Just type in Spring Creek Model Trains in search engine or You Tube and check it out...Entitled...".One of the largest train stores in the U.S." there I think.. IMPRESSIVE...
No reply just yet.. Is anyone else aware of them....Wow... Cheers Rod
 
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Why don't you get the 45' and 53' containers? They have those in stock. Never heard of Spring Creek Trains but I'll take a look.

Just go to their website here, and you can see everything they have and stock status.

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/HO-Scale-Intermodal-Trailers-Chassis-Containers-s/1475.htm

Looks like they have Walthers 40' containers here http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Walthers-HO-1506-40-Container-Xtra-p/933-1506.htm

and here http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Walthers-HO-1715-40-Container-XTRA-p/933-1715.htm
 
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G'day Motley

G'day Motley....Once again I appreciate the invaluable assistance offered.
Will try again at MTS too.... Don't think the 45 fters would go in the wells
in the Gunderson Maxi 4s I have...I know 40 footers will because I've kitbashed 2x20 footers together and fit perfect...was hoping to get 53s for the overhang consists though... Re. Spring Creek Model Trains....UNBELIEVABLE......Just incredible...just re watched the video ..my mistake it goes 8 minutes , not 18....that's another train store vid I found but .....Do yourself a favour and have a look...You won't be disappointed..
Thanks again....will re-try MTS soon... Cheers Rod..
 
Go to this http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/HO-S...tm?searching=Y&sort=3&cat=1475&show=30&page=1 and then on to pages 4 and 5 and you will find more 40's than you could wish for. And at prices $5 - $7 you'll be blowing the budget. It's much much cheaper postage for quantity purchases. When you go to checkout, you get options of what postal service you want to use and it tells you how much BEFORE you confirm and pay. Not every seller does this.
 
Not modeling the container era any more, but seems a few years ago someone posted some pix that could be copied on card stock & folded to make containers. Try Googling that.
 
G'day Cajon

G'day , Thanks for info.... Been there with card stock... great for buildings and for intermodal yard scenes but not too flash on consists...never mind
but appreciate it just the same....Love your avatar.. Cheers Rod
 
Found them

G'day Tootnkumin...From one Aussie to another....love your monniker..
Thanks for the link...used it today and found exactly what I need at MRS
Will hope to do a checkout soon of several 40 and 53 ft containers to build up my double stack consist... They'll send me a reply soon about a couple of availability numbers...Appreciate help greatly....Also check out Spring Creek
video on YT for your interest about another amazing Model Train store in Nebraska.... Thanks again/Cheers Rod..
 
bought them

G'day again all , To my shock , before I bought online I rang a local (sort of, other end of State)_hobby shop, McCanns ,All sorts of hobbies ,not just MR and to my happy surprise they had in stock 12 Walthers 40 ft Ho containers...so I bought them all...at average $9 each.plus $15 Express postage All came this morning 18 hours after phone purchase.. K Line, Evergreen , Maersk , and got another five from Tiger Hobbies soon after.Came today also..Exactly what I was after...Will still buy overseas too as I will need more and the sales person reckons it'll be a while before they can get more but.....really pleased. Will get 53s as well then... Cheers Rod.
 
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G'day again all , To my shock , before I bought online I rang a local (sort of, other end of State)_hobby shop, McCanns ,All sorts of hobbies ,not just MR and to my happy surprise they had in stock 12 Walthers 40 ft Ho containers...so I bought them all...at average $9 each.plus $15 Express postage All came this morning 18 hours after phone purchase.. K Line, Evergreen , Maersk , and got another five from Tiger Hobbies soon after.Came today also..Exactly what I was after...Will still buy overseas too as I will need more and the sales person reckons it'll be a while before they can get more but.....really pleased. Will get 53s as well then... Cheers Rod.

Just for the hell of it, I did a comparison of costs with MTS for 12 of theirs @ $4.99 each + postage.

12 @ $4.99 = $59.98.

postage by USPS priority International (7-14 days) but can take another week for Aus post to get them to you. = $44.35

USPS 1st class mail international (21 days+) +Aus post = $21.48


So $59.98 + $44.35 = $104.33 Priority

or $$59.98 + $21.48 = $81.46 1st class

US postage prices went up about 17% I believe recently and AusPost I heard are increasing theirs soon on some services, so hopefully this will give you an idea of what costs are involved.

Priority for an order of that amount was about $35 previously I think.
 
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Good numbers

Thanks Tootnkumin, ....Still will need around another 20 containers over time as I build my intermodal yard into my layout and add a fourth wellcar unit into my r/stock so will still need to buy more...and will hope to use MTS as you suggest...I've just ordered a MIJACK crane through my usual On line store based in Queensland..in Bundaberg...
Was interested to see your comparison overall and what you gain on unit price gets eaten up in postage costs ant time to arrive also a factor but conversely the incredible diversity in the USA is amazing.. I think the trick when buying from the USA is to make a really decent order of it because then the postage can be justified ...Will let you know what I end up buying from MTS ...when I do. I added the walthers containers to my well cars last night and they look great...Cheers Rod..
 
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I watch ebay for the containers now. Much cheaper there and they don't really get worn out or undetectable damage.
 



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