53' cans: MT vs. Scale Trains

[cfritschle]

Steve,

Wow, it sounds like you will be producing everything I need to fill in the "gaps" in my intermodal equipment!   

And, I don't know if I have ever had a more positive response to my requests/suggestions.  Thank you, and I am looking forward to the announcements for your new products!

[cfritschle]

Looking forward to trying these out.  Might these also be compatible with the Deluxe cans?

Gary,

Just in case JCT Products does not make compatible replacement floors/bottoms for the DeLuxe containers, here how I determine where to place the magnets on the floor of the DeLuxe containers for my DIY process:



Since my standard is to have a small hole in the floor below each magnet (influenced by the Kato system) I made four jigs from 0.04 X 0.25 styrene strip and simply use a sharp object to mark the floor for drilling.  I drill a pilot hole with a #61 bit, and then enlarge the hole to 2 mm, and glue a 6 mm (1/4 inch) rare earth magnet centered over the hole.

[jagged ben]

Unless your method allows you to actually get the magnet closer to the bottom of the box (as Kato's does), the holes have no effect.  Magnetic fields are not blocked by plastic whatsoever.

Also, I think the middle magnet probably really isn't necessary.

My first attempt at a magnet system involved precisely drilling a 1/4" hole in the bottom middle of a container and press fitting a magnet in the right orientation.  There were several mistakes in my thinking:
1) it wasn't compatible with 20ft containers
2) with a single magnet in the middle, top containers easily got rotated on top of the bottom ones
3) it was way more work than necessary
4) it was unnecessarily destructive to the model

My current method (here, again, in case you missed the link above) has none of those disadvantages, is super fast and easy, and is also compatible with what comes with JTC (and, I think Rolland). 

[jagged ben]

I did a little testing and it turns out that JTC and Rolland installed their magnets ... with the opposite polarity.   

Doesn't affect my system though.   

[cfritschle]

Unless your method allows you to actually get the magnet closer to the bottom of the box (as Kato's does), the holes have no effect.  Magnetic fields are not blocked by plastic whatsoever.

Also, I think the middle magnet probably really isn't necessary.

My first attempt at a magnet system involved precisely drilling a 1/4" hole in the bottom middle of a container and press fitting a magnet in the right orientation.  There were several mistakes in my thinking:
1) it wasn't compatible with 20ft containers
2) with a single magnet in the middle, top containers easily got rotated on top of the bottom ones
3) it was way more work than necessary
4) it was unnecessarily destructive to the model

My current method (here, again, in case you missed the link above) has none of those disadvantages, is super fast and easy, and is also compatible with what comes with JTC (and, I think Rolland).

Jagged Ben,

It was your posts on TrainBoard back in 2007 that convinced me that magnets were the way to go for stacking containers.  Once I had purchased some Kato containers, I decided to permanently mount the magnets on the floors of the containers, and make all of my containers interoperable with the Kato containers. 

I am not saying one system is any better than another.  I even modified the mounting locations of the magnets on either side of the center magnet a bit once I purchased some Rolland containers.  The location of the magnets in the JCT Product containers just happen to make them interoperable with the system I am using.

There really is no right or wrong way to use the magnets, and I want to encourage everyone to use the system that works best for them.

[MetroRedLine]

ScaleTrains, hands-down. First of all, MTL only makes two per road name. ScaleTrains makes three-packs, released in three sets, and three individual single-pack containers per roadname. Which means 12 individual containers. Also, MTL sells them in the same kind of jewelbox used for their rolling stock, which is a total waste of packing and a waste of space. And price per-container, the ScaleTrains, especially in the 3-packs, come at a better value. And as mentioned, the ScaleTrains are compatible with the Kato 53' pins, making them stackable in the same wells. No can do with the MTL and ScaleTrains!

And I haven't even talked about the painting and detail quality of the ScaleTrains containers, which speak for themselves.

[ljudice]

ScaleTrains, hands-down. First of all, MTL only makes two per road name. ScaleTrains makes three-packs, released in three sets, and three individual single-pack containers per roadname. Which means 12 individual containers. Also, MTL sells them in the same kind of jewelbox used for their rolling stock, which is a total waste of packing and a waste of space. And price per-container, the ScaleTrains, especially in the 3-packs, come at a better value. And as mentioned, the ScaleTrains are compatible with the Kato 53' pins, making them stackable in the same wells. No can do with the MTL and ScaleTrains!

And I haven't even talked about the painting and detail quality of the ScaleTrains containers, which speak for themselves.

I'm very pleased with the Scaletrains containers I've bought - they cover most of what is needed for modelling BNSF (With the compatible Kato cans filling in a few more).   The only big ones missing (for me) are some of the older JBH and Schneider cans and those off white UPS cans.

[jagged ben]

...
And I haven't even talked about the painting and detail quality of the ScaleTrains containers, which speak for themselves.

Well, that is probably the one area where MTL is best.   Your other points are well taken though.  I haven't seen any need to buy MTL paint schemes where I already had someone else's version.

[ljudice]

One more question -  anyone notice ST's JBH boxes pins are all too fat (paint?) to comfortably fit in their own holes?

I have seen this on all 12 I own.

Bore out the holes a bit with a pin vise??

[cfritschle]

I did a little testing and it turns out that JTC and Rolland installed their magnets ... with the opposite polarity.   

Doesn't affect my system though.   

Did you try both of the JTC containers with a Rolland container?

The JCT containers I have came with one container in each package having the north poles facing up, and the other container having the north poles facing down. 

I also found it was easy to drill a small hole beneath each magnet, and then using a small nail as a punch I "popped" the magnets out.  I then repositioned the magnets so that all had the north poles facing up.

These containers work great with the containers I have already modified with "my" three magnet system!   

Thank you Steve for a well designed product!

[ljudice]

On closer look - all my ST JBH Dry boxes have the fat pin problem - but I am sure it is paint.

Considering removing the underframes and stripping them in Washaway.

No one else noticed this?

[cfritschle]

On closer look - all my ST JBH Dry boxes have the fat pin problem - but I am sure it is paint.

Considering removing the underframes and stripping them in Washaway.

No one else noticed this?

Lou,

You might just try using a fine grit emery board and sand the pins a bit.  Or, if they are designed to fit together like the Atlas containers, you must force them to "snap" in place.

I only have one ScaleTrains 53-ft container, so I cannot confirm if they are all a tight fit or not.   

[GaryHinshaw]

I have seen this on my JBH cans too, but I've been able to gently force a fit in most cases.  In any event, I'm looking forward to trying the JTC magnetic under-frames, noted up-thread, when they come out.

[jagged ben]

Did you try both of the JTC containers with a Rolland container?

The JCT containers I have came with one container in each package having the north poles facing up, and the other container having the north poles facing down. 

I also found it was easy to drill a small hole beneath each magnet, and then using a small nail as a punch I "popped" the magnets out.  I then repositioned the magnets so that all had the north poles facing up.

These containers work great with the containers I have already modified with "my" three magnet system!   

Thank you Steve for a well designed product!

I did not try all of mine.  Not a big deal to me unless I really wanted to stack them in the same well, and I'm usually not that stubborn when it comes to container arrangements.   But I can't resist beating the dead horse when it comes to the advantage of a polarity-agnostic system.  I mean, if even the same manufacturer can't keep it consistent. ..

[cfritschle]

I did not try all of mine.  Not a big deal to me unless I really wanted to stack them in the same well, and I'm usually not that stubborn when it comes to container arrangements.   But I can't resist beating the dead horse when it comes to the advantage of a polarity-agnostic system.  I mean, if even the same manufacturer can't keep it consistent. ..

I think the reversing of the polarity for the two containers might be intentional for packaging.  Being able to place the two containers in the package with the bottoms facing each other, along with the small foam insert between the containers, any damage to the paint during shipping should be avoided.