Intermodal Equipment

spikedrivingblues said:

I plan to use 20' and 40' containers in maxi 1 articulated cars. (Maybe some 48' on top too, not sure if that's prototypical yet)

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Just a note on this point - yes!

Longer containers have connecting points at the standard 40' length, so 40'-53' containers can pretty much be stacked in any combination.

Containers do not have connecting points in the center so 20' containers can not be stacked on top of longer containers and will always be in the bottom of wells.

spikedrivingblues said:

Can someone tell me if I buy one brand (let's say Athearn) of well cars do I need to buy Athearn containers or are all cars and containers compatible?

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There *may* be some slight compatibility issues here and there but most brands *should* work together if they're dimensionally accurate and any issues should be very minor and easily tweaked. Stay away from Con-Cor containers though as for some unknown reason whoever designed them made them with pegs that stick *up* on top of the containers - which both looks stupid and makes them incompatible with other brands.