Large Scale Central

Pacer Stacktrain Containers (USA Trains) Availability

General Discussion
#1

Just curious if anyone knows if USA Trains made a large number of Pacer Stacktrain containers? I have been building a container train for my own personal use as well as for program use. I have provided some photos of a Pacer Stacktrain container that was included in a box set of USA Trains containers we received recently. I have also provided photos of other containers that were not only in that set but were either purchased separately or came with other container cars. As mentioned above, I would like to find out how many Pacer Stacktrain containers were made as well as how many of the other containers were made of other various road names and what those road names were. I would also like to find out if USA trains is still producing container train equipment because I don’t see much on their website anymore.

Would appreciate any information so we know what to look for, what’s available, what’s rare and what could be obtained through USA Trains in the future, if anything. Any photos of custom painted containers/container cars are welcome also.

Below are some photos of other containers that we currently have, however, since some containers are in separate boxes or in with the container cars, I am unsure of the other containers that we currently have. Would like you find more Pacer Stacktrain containers down the road, depending on availability.

Thanks for your help.

Ken

#2

Ken Mathews/Imagination Station Kids On Track said: Just curious if anyone knows if USA Trains made a large number of Pacer Stacktrain containers?

The short of it Ken …they did not… however I could be and I will probably be proven wrong !

#3

Yea, I kind of figured that but I wasn’t sure. I was hoping that they did because I was fortunate enough to see an entire real train of 105 Pacer Stacktrain cars with PS containers (unit train) rolling through Stockton, California many, many years back and they sort of became my favorite pain’t scheme in containers. I was hoping USA Trains would produce the container cars as well someday.

#4

I understand !

#5

Ken, someone like Stan Cedarleaf could make the decals for them, all you have to do is repaint the others you have. most of the intermodals I see have mixed container “brands”. ONE containers are now Pink! waiting to see them modeled

#6

I’d like to see the PINK (ONE) containers modeled in the correct scale too. I have seen them (as well as quite a few others) as tissue boxes or something. Not quite sure what that’s all about but they’re too big for our trains anyway. Good thought on the repaint. Something to consider.

#7

I have seen a few guys 3D printing them and those look pretty good. One person was making the bottom ones without opening doors and putting the detailed ones on top

#8

https://circusdecals.ecwid.com/ONE-Ocean-Network-Express-40-Intermodal-Container-Pink-&-White-G-Scale-1-29-p157515099

here’s a link to decals for the pink container

#9

Pete, John,

I heard about the 3D printing but couldn’t identify who was actually doing it. Thanks for the link John, I picked up a set of decals.

Painting a pink (ONE) OCEAN NETWORK EXPRESS container might be kind of fun. Maybe I’ll give it a try!

#10

Ken, who here on LSC is 3D printing and who will do for others is the $50K question. Do a Google search for ‘prototyping shops’ or variants thereof and you will find a plethora of them. In most cases you will need to have the model output file (.stl or such) all ready to go and know what material you want them to print it in. You will also need to know the resolution (how high you want the quality) as this will affect the time to print and therefore the cost to print.

If you are looking for a fair quantity of them, my recommendation would be to get a high quality 3D print of the six interlocking (slot and tab) components and use them as masters for molds to do your own casting. I seem to remember someone here printed one and it took an incredible amount of time (especially if you are paying for it).

You can also look to Shapeways and others like them and see what they offer and at what cost. I think ‘free’ is not an option.

#11

Guys, I have been printing with my ROBO R1Plus printers (2) for about 4 years and made many free cars off of the “THINGIVERSE” and had good success. This is I believe where the Container STL file that was printed by one of the contributors here on this site.

I print on Medium resolution and to print that 20’ container would be about 12 hours to print the parts with 40% density. 80% density would double the time.

I have been using PETG filament exclusively for the last 3 years as the ductile temperature is in the 160 degree area where PLA is about 130 degrees. Direct sun on a dark color painted item that is 40% infill/density will just deform with PET.

This is what I have found. I do live in AZ so you may have different results.

I unboxed my first printer $700.00 dollars (My second printer cost $250.00 2 years later) and started printing that night. What fun! this process is pretty easy to learn and the printers have come way down in price. My printers have a 8" by 10" platen printing area and this allows one to print a 40’ car in 2 pieces.

My Calculation for 129th scale is .4137" to the foot.

Someday I will post photos of my projects, but go to the Thingiverse and check out what is there.

To get started you will need a computer that has big memory “RAM” and a fast processer ( Cant’ remember the specs) now but most gaming computers will have a good Graphic Card (Important) there are sites on line that with a little research you can get the specs.

Any of the basic printers will give you good results. Use PLA Filament to start as this will teach you how to use the printer and is the cheapest, but the products you print with PET will not play well with the sun. Maybe solid pieces will work but with 3D printing the thicker your print is the longer it will take to print.

you will need a slicer program, I use 3D Builder and you can breakdown a (OBJ. file) this is a 3D object that is not segmented into flat pieces. I’m working on a 50’ High Cube Box that was in N scale object file. you can take that file and “slice it” into pieces that will fit in your printers print area.

The program I use with my printer is called Matter Control and is super easy I also have Cura but that one I find difficult to understand.

3D printing will give you great results and is very satisfying when the drawing is displayed on the printer! You don’t need to have a CAD program to print off the internet. STL files and OBJ files typically will work. You will need a knowledge of Scale as many of the files will be 1/32nd my printer software has a process where you can adjust the scale/size/ratio of a drawing. It will help if you have a reference drawing from a magazine/internet to reference as if you were going to scratch build a part. This is the same process only there is much more math and less cutting and shaping. I’m a C student in math, not that difficult.

Items printed in 1/29

2 50’ High Cube boxcar 22+ hours print time

2 58’ Gondola 18 hours+ print time

52’ Gondola 16+ hours

numerous Flatcars from 30’ to 40’

heavy duty 8 axle Flatcar + 10+ hours

50’ boxcar 16 Hours print time

SW1500 loco PLA not assembled - Distorted in the car while traveling to show it off. Bummer, 50 hours down the drain

DDA40X PLA not assembled it took 60+ hours to print

Many other items truck frames for example I only purchase wheels, bearings and springs, Kadee couplers.

Time to print is the bugger so selling 3d printed cars probably not going to be a good business model

Hope this helps

Howard