Are Atlas 45-foot Contaiers Designed for Magnets?

[cfritschle]

When I removed the floor of an Atlas 45-foot container, I was surprised to find two round circles molded into the floor.  The circles are 3/8 inches in diameter, the same size circles Jacksonville Terminal Company molds into the floors of their containers.  The photo below shows the JTC floor above the Atlas floor.


As you can see in the photo, the circles do not quite line up, but if one were to place magnets in the circles, they should still work just fine with the steel plates glued to the interior roof of the JTC 40-foot container.

Next, I went to add steel plates to the interior roof of the Atlas container, and "discovered" two more circles molded into the roof.  The JTC 40-foot containers with the factory installed steel plates is on top of the Atlas 45-foot container.


This sure looks like Atlas intended to make it easy to add magnets to assist with the stacking of these containers. 

And, just to show that the Atlas and JTC containers are indeed compatible right down to the IBC pins lining up, this photo shows the Atlas 45-foot container stacked on the JTC 40-foot container.
 

While I appreciate Atlas going to the effort to make it easier to add the magnets, I do wish they had aligned the circles to be consistent with the location of the magnets in the JTC containers.  The JTC magnets are centered at 10 scale foot increments, which allow their 40-foot container to stack on two of their 20-foot containers, and have the magnets centered over the steel plate attached to the interior roof of their 20-foot containers.  However, if one were to install magnets on the floor of the Atlas 45-foot container using the circles as a guide, I think one could still stack the 45-foot container on two of the JTC 20-foot containers without any issues.

[ljudice]

interesting...


my only beef with this fabulous new crop of containers (JTC, Atlas) is the IBC holes are shallow (paint?)

I hate pressing them together in fear of breaking pins.

Been thinking of slightly boring the holes a bit...

[jagged ben]

Pins don't substitute for magnets.  I've got my method I developed years ago.  (OMG it's been over a decade!)  My approach whenever pins aren't working is to cut them off.

Note:  While good magnets should make pins totally unnecessary, sometimes it's nice to have the pins to make alignment quick and easy.  However, you only need two of four pins to do this if you also have the magnets.

YMMV. 

[cfritschle]

Pins don't substitute for magnets.  I've got my method I developed years ago.  (OMG it's been over a decade!)  My approach whenever pins aren't working is to cut them off.

Note:  While good magnets should make pins totally unnecessary, sometimes it's nice to have the pins to make alignment quick and easy.  However, you only need two of four pins to do this if you also have the magnets.

YMMV.

I agree that only two pins are required when you have the magnets.  I have been able to "convert" every brand of N scale container I own (which all that were built to ISO standards) to be stackable on each other using the specs shown below:



I drill the holes in the container's floor to assist with positioning the magnets.

[cfritschle]

It has been brought to my attention that Jacksonville Terminal Company has posted a schematic of what I hope will become the standard for all new N scale containers for the location of pins, holes, magnets and steel plates.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1959/5441/files/Magnetic_connection_system_standards.pdf?11776714660056038565

If someone sees an Athearn rep in Springfield this weekend, perhaps it is not too late for Athearn to make their new 40-foot containers compatible with the JTC containers.   

[central.vermont]

It has been brought to my attention that Jacksonville Terminal Company has posted a schematic of what I hope will become the standard for all new N scale containers for the location of pins, holes, magnets and steel plates.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1959/5441/files/Magnetic_connection_system_standards.pdf?11776714660056038565

If someone sees an Athearn rep in Springfield this weekend, perhaps it is not too late for Athearn to make their new 40-foot containers compatible with the JTC containers.   

Maybe just print it out and leave it with them on their table. Several copies though!! 

Jon

[peteski]

Maybe just print it out and leave it with them on their table. Several copies though!! 

Jon

I seriously doubt that any company which already has molds cut for their injection-molded containers will modify (or remake) their tooling to comply with some small-time manufacturer (or even with another large manufacturer for that matter).  Same goes for any new tooling - I suspect that they will make the new molds compatible with their older ones (not with a "new standard").  But maybe I'm just jaded  . . .

Too bad that there was not either NMRA standard for this, or at least some sort of common standard manufacturers agreed upon, before they created their molds.  I know - if they just accurately scaled their models to 1:160th of the real containers, we wouldn't be here either (well, maybe for things like magnet placement, and/or pin/socket dimensions).

[jagged ben]

Pete, Athearn just announced the 40ft container for delivery in a year, and they have never done an N scale container before.  So they may not have tooling cut yet, and they have no other product they need to make it compatible with.  Stop being so pessimistic.

[peteski]

Stop being so pessimistic.

I've been burned too many time tryign to be Mr. Sunshine.  I'm not pessimistic - just being a realist.  Why. do you think I'm jinxing it?    I'll be overjoyed if and when Athearn complies with JTC "standard".

[jagged ben]

Just trying to keep you from discouraging anyone from trying central.vermont's suggestion.   It has a chance! ...is all I'm saying.

[narrowminded]

I don't have anything in this but as a suggestion, a guide plate that has the locating rings included, at whatever spacing was required and whatever exterior plate (interior container) dimensions were required, seems like a good candidate for a 3D resin print.  Just glue it in.

[CRL]

I’m really glad the intermodal bug never bit me.