Model Railroading > Athearn 53' container question

Ok so I bought about 25 Athearn JB Hunt 53' containers. After looking at them, I noticed there aren't any holes on top of the containers to stack them. Are there supposed to be mounting holes, or are 53' containers supposed to have anything stacked on top of them? BTW this is true with the Athearn 3 pack as well as the container and chassis version. Thanks!
Matt

The container is correct. It is a Monon container designed only to ride on top of another container or by itself.

Yeah, I'm upset they did this. True, prototypically those containers can only ride on the top or as single-stacked, but what about that thing called 'modeler's license'? What if we model railroaders wanted to double stack those containers? It would be nice to have that option and it wouldn't have made the container itself look unprototypical if Athearn punched a few holes in the top like all the other containers.

Tom

Can you imagine the outraged wail that we would have heard from the prototype police if they put those holes in? If anything, it was a public service to leave the holes off. A few minutes with a drill bit and you'll be in business. Or better yet, get the Intermountain J.B. Hunt containers that are correct for bottom stacking (I believe).

atsf2333 Wrote:
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> Can you imagine the outraged wail that we would
> have heard from the prototype police if they put
> those holes in? If anything, it was a public
> service to leave the holes off. A few minutes
> with a drill bit and you'll be in business. Or
> better yet, get the Intermountain J.B. Hunt
> containers that are correct for bottom stacking (I
> believe).


I have a set of the JB Hunt containers from Intermountain. They are Wabash Duraplates and can be used in the top or bottom position.

The containers say "Top Of Stack Only" on them. That means "Top Of Stack Only". :)

Actually before I asked this question I checked the containers first before asking anything to see if they said anything about not stacking them. What containers do you have? I have the JB Hunt ones and I am 99% sure they say nothing about not stacking them. Maybe you could tell us exactly where you read this on the container. Thanks for the replies.

Look on the bottom of the panel that has the JBHU reporting marks.
Thats where they are on mine.
Matt_SD40T-2 Wrote:
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> Actually before I asked this question I checked
> the containers first before asking anything to see
> if they said anything about not stacking them.
> What containers do you have? I have the JB Hunt
> ones and I am 99% sure they say nothing about not
> stacking them. Maybe you could tell us exactly
> where you read this on the container. Thanks for
> the replies.

For locations of the "Single Stack Only" "Double Stack Only" look here, http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,1413025


Mr. MRL

CR4122 Wrote:
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> The container is correct. It is a Monon container
> designed only to ride on top of another container
> or by itself.

Not so fast. As I pointed out in another thread, a prototype top lift container would HAVE to be equipped with the normal IBC holes, to be loaded or unloaded from a chassis or railcar.

Unless they're using some super secret method to load or unload the containers, I'm guessing Athearn's ommission of the holes is actually incorrect.

It's true they can't be stacked ... but the containers have to get on or off the stack car somehow.

Ever heard of the JB Hunt Pin Lift system?

Look at the sides of the Athearn Monon containers, they were made to be pin lifted from the side. The Athearn model is correct.

da' freak

bioyans Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CR4122 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The container is correct. It is a Monon
> container
> > designed only to ride on top of another
> container
> > or by itself.
>
> Not so fast. As I pointed out in another thread,
> a prototype top lift container would HAVE to be
> equipped with the normal IBC holes, to be loaded
> or unloaded from a chassis or railcar.
>
> Unless they're using some super secret method to
> load or unload the containers, I'm guessing
> Athearn's ommission of the holes is actually
> incorrect.
>
> It's true they can't be stacked ... but the
> containers have to get on or off the stack car
> somehow.

ATSF-Freak is quite correct in his post above and in the other thread.

I work with Hunt containers on a regular basis. The containers with no holes in the tops are for the wide twist pin system. The Taylor crane's that we use and the MI-Jacks we have to load the containers can either pick a container up from the top, or open up a little further and squeeze the container from the side setting four pins into the pockets of the reinforcing strips. I would also like to add that this type of system is a really large pain in the a**!!