Model Railroading > Scale Trains new HO 53' reefer container with sound

I had preordered a pair of the new Scale Trains HO reefer containers with sound. The Tiger Cool containers had been running on the Philly sub regularly so I ordered a pair. Ironically they have stopped showing up.

So my first impressions are these are nice containers. Packaging is nice. I opened it up and looked inside. They take a 9V battery not included. Put in a fresh battery and on the bottom of the container are 2 switches. One is the on off which is obvious and the 2nd a white push button switch.  I turned on the switch and the sound fired up. It sounds correct to my ear but the sound is on the quiet side.  I pushed the white button but all it did was mute the sound so I had to switch the on off button to bring the sound back online.

There are no instructions with these containers in the package nor instructions on their website so that would be helpful.

I tested the unit stacked with both Atlas and Athearn 53' foot containers and they mated well. I also put the unit in the bottom of a Walthers 53' well car, Walthers 53' rebuild car from a 40' car and also the Kato 53' well cars. It fit nicely in the Kato and Walthers cars and was a tight fit in the Walthers rebuilt 53' car but that car is tight also for other containers. I also placed it on top of a Walthers 40' container and it mated well also.

One concern. The end with the 9V battery in it will not stay inside the container so when u lift it up, the inside section drops out so be careful. This should be addressed in future runs as since these need to handled often to turn on and off the sound, this will be a reoccuring problem. You obviously can not glue it or u can't get to the battery to replace. Battery provides some extra weight which is nice.

The sound does turn off from time to time so I do not know if this is prototypical as all the ones I see seem to be running constantly.

A nice product but will not buy too many as they need to be handled if you want the sound. I have too many things to handle now LOL. 

Be well. Bruce

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Pix of the inside

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Bottom with switches and external shots.

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Mated with an Athearn container.
Mated with an Atlas container
On top of a Walthers 40' container

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Inside a 53' Walthers well
Inside a 53' Walthers rebuilt car
Inside a 53' Kato well car

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Yard job shoving cut into yard track in Philly.

Be well. Bruce

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This is what happens when u pick the container up. End drops out and eventually will free fall. Be careful.

Bruce

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Eliminate the wording on the container that says "top lift only" (LOL)

What sound does it make?

If it were me I would replace the on/off switch on the bottom with a magnetic switch under the roof so you could turn it on or off without having to handle the car.

I believe if i were designing a car like this which obviously has a heavier(battery) end vs the speaker end, i would have a slip channel on the end where the battery goes. Then on the other end where the speaker goes i would have snap tabs.
You would slide the battery end in the 1.5" long  channel until it reached the end wall then snap the other end up with friction catches.
I too would have used magnetic reed switches for an on/off switch. The only other reason i can see for a second button is if you wanted the reefer unit on continuos run or cycle sentry.

With a couple of resistors. a Ring engineering truck set up as a pick up, and a magnetic reed switch in place of the on off. You could do a more permanent placement. A small plug set would be usable to allow it to be removable.

Does anyone know if they will do a run of these without sound. I have no interest in sound for cars or containers.

Posted from Android

Yes, non sound will be available. I not into sound from reffers eother.

Stanley Jackowski
Valrico, FL

The one and off randomly is proto for refer units. They run as needed to keep temperature

Posted from Android

So I did get the white button to work correctly. It is for the volume. I was holding it down but u have to click it. 5 levels of sound volume.

I think I am going to return these as they keep falling out and it's a pain.  Thanks Bruce

PS - They should of done a reed switch but probably not due to cost.