85' Trash Flat Container Question

[jmarley76]

I have purchased several of the Atlas 85' Trash Flats. It's gotten hard to find the MSW containers that have pins to sit on these cars, so I decided to get some Fine N Scale sludge containers. My issue is how to get them to stay on the flats since they don't have pins? I want to avoid permanently attaching them so I could still run these cars empty.

I thought maybe drilling a recess in the bottom of each sludge container and adding a magnet, which would require a piece of metal be attached to the flat. I use magnets to stack multi-brand containers in well cars, so it seems logical to use a system I already have in place. Any advice or other ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[dem34]

I have purchased several of the Atlas 85' Trash Flats. It's gotten hard to find the MSW containers that have pins to sit on these cars, so I decided to get some Fine N Scale sludge containers. My issue is how to get them to stay on the flats since they don't have pins? I want to avoid permanently attaching them so I could still run these cars empty.

I thought maybe drilling a recess in the bottom of each sludge container and adding a magnet, which would require a piece of metal be attached to the flat. I use magnets to stack multi-brand containers in well cars, so it seems logical to use a system I already have in place. Any advice or other ideas would be greatly appreciated!

If you have calipers it may be worth seeing if you can measure the pin diameter of the atlas containers and simply sticking your own styrene or PB wire pins in the containers.

[mu26aeh]

If you need some MSW bins, my LHS has a couple on the shelves yet.  Someone was just asking me what they were yesterday.

[peteski]

Would small amounts of poster putty under the containers work?  That stuff can be easily peeled off when no longer needed.

[cv_acr]

If you have calipers it may be worth seeing if you can measure the pin diameter of the atlas containers and simply sticking your own styrene or PB wire pins in the containers.

That's what I'm thinking. Drill some holes with a pin vise in the bottom and CA some short bits of wire to make pins.

[cv_acr]

adding a magnet, which would require a piece of metal be attached to the flat

Aren't the car frames die-cast metal, or is it not steel and non-magnetic?

[jagged ben]

Would small amounts of poster putty under the containers work?  That stuff can be easily peeled off when no longer needed.

This is what I do for all sorts of intermodal stuff.  Never caused any problems, although I haven't ever put stuff back in the box and let it sit for twenty years.

[peteski]

This is what I do for all sorts of intermodal stuff.  Never caused any problems, although I haven't ever put stuff back in the box and let it sit for twenty years.

True. I don''t know the long time stability of the poster putty. I would remove if for long time  storage, but I think it is safe for when the trains are operating on the layout.

Actually, about 10 years ago I used poster putty to attach Sir Topham Hatt to the walkway on the Tomas The Tank Engine and I don't see any damage to the plastic, or deterioration of the poster putty.  But as always, YMMV.

[jmarley76]

If you have calipers it may be worth seeing if you can measure the pin diameter of the atlas containers and simply sticking your own styrene or PB wire pins in the containers.

Thought about that - I've never messed with I guess what you would consider "fine detail work." But I do have calipers, and hey, no time like the present to give it a try. I do have an extra set of sludge containers that could be experiment Ed on.

[jmarley76]

Aren't the car frames die-cast metal, or is it not steel and non-magnetic?

Unfortunately they are not magnetic. 

[jmarley76]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I haven't tried the poster putty. I'll try it before drilling. Hopefully I can get some time to try tomorrow after I tackle the honey-do list.