Les wants to recognize Réal Émond

From Les:

"Please note Réal Émond did the assembly of the 80+ containers in this article. I don’t want anyone to think that I have that much patience!"

Good to give credit

Les Halmos friends- containers

I enjoyed your piece on making containers, and I have suggestions going in two directions.  I remember when many layouts had printed fold up -glue- tab construction structures because modelers had the choice of very few kits. (early 1950s)

I have even built complete structures using photos for each facade, and adding detail. 

Containers are an excellent use for the preprinted or photo application, especially in a large storage yard or container ship such as yours where there are so many that even under fairly close scrutiny they will look great, as you have demonstrated.  The fold up can be used for many types of rectangular structures that are not otherwise available. 

In this direction, the sides and ends of containers can also be photographed "on the hoof" by just clicking a few shots when you see an interesting container on a truck. These can be assembled into models like yours, and provide additional variety. Also, many containers have fairly plain sides, possibly with just ribs or flat sides with just the corner posts and small details and identification. These are ideal for creating your own roadname or  shipping line  by just adding lettering in any color you like from your computer's font file.  

Corel, Adobe Elements and other software permit  this to be done easily, and the geometry of any given length of containers will all be  the same so a  computer document can be  as a template to save, just dropping new sides into your artwork.

Now, going off on a bit of a tangent, this artwork can be modified to wrap  around Athearn short trailers, or any plain sided trailers, for those occasions that the roadname you want is not available.  The photos can also be made into decals which can be applied to RTR plastic containers- then all the weathering from the prototype  will be in place with no painting at all. 

The containers are a great idea, Les. 

-Victor Roseman

This is super...you can

This is super...you can "quickly" fill up an intermodal facility will all sorts of containers with a help of a few friends and promise of free lunch.

In the 3rd paragraph the author says ".....on white 110 lb card stock from stapes.."

??

Was he trying to say "Staples" here?  

Buck Dean

Another.....

....great use for the home computer/printer Les. By coincidence, I also received an update from Scalescenes recently. They have come out with a downloadable set of containers ready to print in several scales. Not free, but still "on the cheap". 21 different containers in both 20 and 40 foot versions. I have used several of their products. They are quite good and fun to build.

http://www.scalescenes.com/

Great Tips!

Always something to learn from a Les Halmos article.

Sometime ago, I downloaded the container files mentioned and printed some to try my hand at folding them up.  I used regular paper for my trials, assuming that getting some cardstock would be better for the final product.  I made out OK but making the folds correctly was a challenge.  The use of the awl to dimple the stock at fold points is something that will help me in the future.  The long nosed pliers look like they work well for sticking things together firmly too.

Thanks Les!

I love these simple and

I love these simple and inexpensive ways to add to a railroad. If I may add another possible idea, (remember lumber loads?) you can make a box to the dimension of the ships cargo and then copy and paste all the logos side by each into excel and print on the largest sheet of paper your printer can us. Then wrap this sheet around your form. Instant cargo. It can also be use as a backdrop in a port scene where containers are all stacked ready to be loaded.

Steve   

Stapes/Staples

Les Halmos friends- containers

Another...

Great Tips!

I love those simple and

Good to give credit

Containers-cheap

 I too have seen these pics on the web and felt they were a little cartoonish, I think I get to say so, I am an illustrator of 40+ years, I did find though these pics on the following link http://home.wanadoo.nl/schatborn/these are photographic, have singles, you have to click the image to show all 4 sides of the singles, but the 4stacks etc. would make quick work of a yard. These are great time savers and the look is incredible with just about every line I know of...Go Intermodal!

At a train show about a year

At a train show about a year ago, one of the vendors there was showcasing and selling some of these printed cardstock buildings. I am not sure of the manufacturer. But a customer came by and stated he loved the buildings for low relief background structures and especially the price for such detailed structures. When he found out it was a printed cardstock model, he stated "oh, I though they were real, I am not interested". Now is this not oxymoronish, or is it just plane moronish? The vendor and I looked at each other bewildered and just shrugged our shoulders. We have great new tools available to us, why would some folks sneer at such progress? Just a rhetorical question folks, don't expect any answers. Have fun all.

Steve             

Photographic containers on Dutch website

I'm a firm believer in using photos and photocomposites to build structures and details - I'm trying to build an entire HO pulp mill that way.  These containers are a great money and time saver - thanks to all contributors! (I have already made a couple of the Evergreen containers to set near one of the mill buildings).  The Dutch website with the photographic containers is an incredible find - thanks so much!  The author even helped by making "bundles" of four containers that can be assembled as easily as one container - an entire yard or cargo ship load could easily be completed in one or two nights.  Even considering the cost of color printer toner, this is probably a 95% + savings over buying containers - so we can save our money for the things that are harder to build - like the container cranes, for example!

 Rog

O Scale 20' shipping container

Awhile back, I made a very simple cardstock kit for an O scale 20 foot shipping container. You can find it on my scale model page.

http://postorbitaldesign.net/card-stock-models/

It too is a free download. It has no printing on the sides so that you can print your own advertising markings to make it any real or fictitious brand you wish.

In case you’re wondering why the twenty-foot version, I’ve seen prototype photos from many two-foot and three-foot gauge railroads around the world that are moving such containers on flat cars instead of using boxcars.

I'm working on several other designs including both free and commercial kits.

As usual, comments and critiques are welcome.

Happy Modeling!

Stan

http://postorbitaldesign.net

Mobile Refer Container Rental

Hai Kevin,

These containers are a great money and time saver - thanks to all contributors! One thing that seems to be predominant among Modelers it's patience, but only for what each one of us loves to do.

Mobile Refer Container Rental