Container Interchangeability

[CP9524]

Will containers of a manufacture (ie. Athearn, Walthers) fit into well or spine cars of a different manufacture (ie. Kato)?

As well, are different manufacture's containers stackable (ie. can Athearn and Walther's containers be stacked together)?

 

[Trucula]

As far as I know if modeled correctly yes, they were all made to interlock with each other. It was a standard, you just have to match the lengths.

 

[MGWSY]

Yes and no depending on a few factors. Since Walthers containers use a oval type pin and Atlas , Athearn, Etc use a round pin it is impossible to get a walthers container to interlock with a non walthers container. If the walthers container is in the bottom position then you can force a different manufacturers container on top of it but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. It can really be a PITA.

 

[diburning]

file the walthers pins down and you'll be fine, although I have had nothing but Walthers containers since they are the least expensive. The Walthers containers will fit fine in Athearn equipment. Unsure of Atlas since I have "standardized" on Walthers intermodal equipment since the cars are made of metal and are heavy enough to be run empty.

 

[MGWSY]

All I did if I wanted to stack containers on well cars is to keep 2 walthers containers together or Athearn, Etc. Now that I have picked up Atlas and the newer Athearn and Kato containers everything is mixed up takes some time to fit certain ones together. Sanding the pins on Walthers sounds fine until you want to stack them and have them stay.

 

[diburning]

I don't mean sand the pins off, I mean sand them until they are round like the others, or at least have a similar profile

 

[MGWSY]

Thats a PITA as I have tried that and another solution is just to cut them off and drill holes for brass wire pins, Easier to just keep them in pairs or model a line that only got them in single level due to height restrictions, lol

 

[SD45T-2]

My older custom aLine containers dont like new Aline containers on them.
Nor does the new aline/intermountain Like to sit on top of walthers.

 

[ChevelleSSguy]

My older athearn BB containers dont like to adapt to the newer Walthers containers either. I like that idea of drilling holes in the bottom for brass pins though.