Hey everyone. Recently I looked over an old thread on another forum, Trainboard, where they discussed and showed how to put magnets in N scale containers so they would stick together.
I wondered if I could do the same in HO, as an alternative to replacing the pins and holes on some of my containers as they don't line up with some of the others.
PS, I model 1979, so I don't have many situations where I'd need to doublestack containers, apart from having them on a ship or modeling a port (which I don't plan on doing).
Thanks
I'm sure it would work. The draw back would be that the bottom can would need a magnet on the top which could tend to make the stack somewhat unstable, but if it's just for a diplay.
I run double stacks with a weight in the bottom can, and the top can empty, keeps the center of gravity on the bottom of the well car.
Since your modeling 1979, I guess you wouldn't have to worry about double stack trains, as 1984 is considered the start of such service, with the UP.
Mike.
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I’m using tiny magnets for all kinds of things. The ⅛” x ⅜” magnets work great for holding my HO structures on my layout. The ⅛” x ⅛” work very good for holding the roof to the structure. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
mbinsewi Since your modeling 1979, I guess you wouldn't have to worry about double stack trains, as 1984 is considered the start of such service, with the UP.
Thing is, due to me recently picking up a Scaletrains SD40 with white sillstripe, I've been debating changing eras to some time in the mid 90s, keeping the same location. It's a pretty tough choice, since I have a bunch of TOFC equipment for the 70's. I'd at least want to wait for train shows to start up again before I consider selling, but in the meantime I'll start buying stuff for the 90s era. Maybe 1995 or something, I haven't decided as I haven't bought any
1). Make sure you put the magnets at the tops of your containers if you're going to be using magnetic uncouplers of any sort. The last thing you want is for your container magnets and your Kadee magnets to repel each other. Ever see a container try to jump out of a well car? Or tilt the whole car? It's happened.
2). I would use steel washers on the container bottoms and install them with the help of a gluing jig. It's critical that every washer be glued in exactly the same place on every container you own; otherwise it's a mess trying to find matching containers as the years go by. Take into consideration the length of 20' containers when figuring out where the washers should go.3). After the washers are glued in, use them to glue in the magnets. IOW, take the washer-equipped container and mount it on top of a new container that's had it's floor removed; secure it with clamps or a rubberband. Flip it over, apply glue to the magnets and place them up under the roof of the lower container so that they "stick" to the washers in the other container. This way, you're assured of always having the correct magnet location on every container.
SD45M I've been debating changing eras to some time in the mid 90s, keeping the same location.
OK, so Paul3 gives some great advise. Go for it !
I remember the container traffic on the CP/SOO late 80's and early 90's, most was containers on what ever flats were availiable.