Microtrains 20' and 40' containers: Anyone know the prototype and era?

[Mark5]

MTL makes 20' and 40' rib side containers. Maybe they are more properly called exterior post. <---- I may be wrong about this description

UPDATE: It seems MTL makes two types of 20' containers?

According to the UMTRR site, the models were introduced in 1992.

Some crappy photos are here:

http://www.nscaleintermodal.com/loads.html

Can anyone tell me the prototype and era of these?

Maybe they are Trailmobile like this APL?

http://www.matts-place.com/intermodal/part1/images/je/aplu204658.jpg

Another candidate:

http://www.matts-place.com/intermodal/part1/images/seau4054816.jpg

Thanks!

Mark

[Philip H]

perhaps its just my monitor, but the 20's look like they have heavy rivet lines down the sides, not posts per se.  The 40's look close to the second one you found, but still not quite right.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I've always been curious about those 20'ers.

[Mark5]

perhaps its just my monitor, but the 20's look like they have heavy rivet lines down the sides, not posts per se.  The 40's look close to the second one you found, but still not quite right.

Ok, I was afraid this would happen - those photos are crappy. I will take good pix when I am at home.

Mark

[jagged ben]

Whatever they are supposed to be, they belong best in the late 70s and 80s.  Another thing to note is that they are too wide for an ISO container.

I'm not sure why you posted that update about two types of 20' containers.  I've only ever seen one.

[nkalanaga]

Mine are 2 scale inches too wide!  I think I'll keep them anyway, as they seem to be among the few containers suitable for the early 70s.  The 40 ft ones look similar to the Arnold ones from the late 60s, as far as prototype, so are probably good for anytime after that.

[Mark5]

These are a different prototype than the Arnold Rapido models from the sixties.

They both feature opening doors. (pix below)

[nkalanaga]

Mark5:  Yes, they are a different prototype than the Arnold, but basically the same (prototype) style and era, with riveted metal sides, rather than the more modern welded or smooth sides.

I have both of the ones you show, and wonder if the 20 ft boxes were ever sold lettered.

[Mark5]

The plot thickens (or more like the plot fizzles out in this case)

I have some intermodal books on the way, hopefully one of them will have pics to get a little more specific on these. 

Oddly, MTL has never offered the 20 footers separately and only a handful of releases on the 40' version (no idea if any of the offered schemes were prototypical).

Mark

[James Costello]

Oddly, MTL has never offered the 20 footers separately and only a handful of releases on the 40' version (no idea if any of the offered schemes were prototypical).

Only NOL, Sealand and CAST on the 40'er?

I could never get the doors to stay closed on the damn things.....

[bman]

Yes, they are called exterior post. At least that's what I've always heard them referred to in my time in the trucking industry.  The same goes for trailers as well.  Over on The Intermodal Container Page (I spend too much time there sometimes) the section on container era's, this photo shows a Y S Line(steamship company) container that resembles the 20' from Microtrains in the top position to the right of the Japan Lines.  http://www.matts-place.com/intermodal/part1/images/rdg/ctiu20.jpg.  I have some of these from Microtrains but mine are not even painted straight undec. I've been trying to figure out a carrier for mine as well.   I counted 9 ribs the same as the model.  The top and bottom rails on the sides are not as thick as they are on the model is what I noticed.  One can't see the front and back unfortunately.  The red CTI container is a later scheme according to info on the page. Later than what it does not specify but the info on the page says that leasing companies, such as CTI, are a late 1960's era thing.  So the 70's are most likely a safe bet for the Microtrains 20' container.  Maybe the late 60's.  But I could be wrong.

[nkalanaga]

I fixed the doors on mine, in both senses, with masking tape.  Take the floor out, the doors fall out, tape the two doors together, put the box back together.  If you ever want to open them, pry them open and remove the tape.

My 20 footers came painted silver, four on a flatcar.  I cut the mounting pieces apart, drilled holes in them and the deck, and made a three-container car, which was more typical of the early 70s in the Northwest.   Four loaded containers would need a 100-ton flat.

I have the NOL and Sealand 40 ft boxes, and they look right for the early 70s, whether they're actually "correct" or not.  Don't remember ever seeing the CAST in Pasco, so can't comment on it.  They may have been there and I didn't notice them.  Most of the containers I saw back then were on the "Pacific Zip", BN's TOFC/COFC hotshot, which I sometimes saw westbound in the afternoon.

Off topic:  I have "coming and going" pictures of a very modelable Pacific Zip.  One F45, ten flatcars, all 85/89 ft, but very mixed styles, and an extended vision caboose.   Ideal size for most model railroads beyond the tabletop/door size.

[Mark5]

I thought I was on to something when I was looking at the Intermountain HO 40' containers in 1970s schemes, but alas the MTL model has 18 "ribs" while the IM model has 20 "ribs".

In the absence of a more correct container I do think the 40 footers could be "foobed" up in some of these 1970s schemes (no decals available for any of these as far as I know):

Maersk Lines: http://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/html/30303.htm

American President Lines (APL): http://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/html/30301.htm

Sea-Land: http://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/html/30305.htm

I would love to find a some good photos of the US lines exterior post in the background of this 1979 photo in Bluefield WV:

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/50505 (Walthers did this scheme in HO on a 40' smooth side container).

Mark

[James Costello]

American President Lines (APL): http://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/html/30301.htm

Microscale's 60-487 should get you sorted for APL.
http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MD&Product_Code=60-487&Category_Code=APL

I'm not sure whether the Wheels of Time 35' resin container had a decal for Sealand, but until there was a development with a) a container and b) decals, I'd be using 60-311 as my Sealand scheme:
http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MD&Product_Code=60-311&Category_Code=SL

[jagged ben]

There's no decal's for that Maersk scheme?  I can't believe it.