Mopac Containers being added to the company store

[Mike Vana]

About 15 years ago, Interurban Films (now defunct?) had a color VHS tape on the MoPac container operations circa 1956.. MoPac was really ahead of the curve with the idea of using unmodified gons and containers. The formation of Trailer Train orphaned this idea and others.

I think Dick Ryker did a PowerPoint talk at Naperville maybe ten years ago on this operation and also brought up McLeans “container on ship” concept.

The scuttlebutt that I heard is that the Pennsy invested a lot of money in their TrucTrain concept and was able to get a massive influx of cash from Trailer Train when it was formed since the number of specialty flatcars PRR contributed to TTX was more than all the other companies’ TOFC flatcars combined. TTX even standardized on the PRR hitch and tie down concepts. The PRR was ALWAYS looking for other people’s money from the late 50s until the Penn Central Merger and some even say Amtrak circa 1971 injected more money into buying decrepit PC equipment to prevent their bankruptcy the but that’s another discussion.

New York Central had tunnel issues so they worked with the FlexiVan concept also favored by Santa Fe and had a lot of mail contracts which kept it afloat. One has to think PRR wanted to leave the NYC out in the cold up until the merger.

Jim Ogden

[jymrpvzdnskxnqtc]

This will be great to see. back when i was modeling the transition era i had bought both the Chad Boas flat car kits and Jerry Glow decals for them and was hoping to build the container but never got around to it. I was able to find one of the Oddballs decals on ebay around the same time. Looking forward to getting one

Joe

[Mike Vana]

Looks like I repeated my earlier post by mistake.

Here’s a photo of a container on a 50′ flatcar– don’t know who took it.

Jim Ogden

[James Leach]

There is no mention of scale for this model. I have been trying to scratch build some in S scale after reading an online blog from someone who built these in O scale and included instructions. Since it seems the MPHS store only carries items for N and HO scale I’ll have to assume that I will have to keep trying my hand at scratch building. If these models are 3D printed is there a possibility of getting some in S scale?

[peggyrothschild]

The scale was somewhat buried in previous emails but yes these are HO. Unfortunately since taking over the company store my experience is HO is profitable. I have order N scale and still have several covered hoppers that haven’t sold and previous N scale boxcars and reefers took a long time to sell.

As to doing these in S scale I can see if I can put you in contact with the designer and you can see if he’ll make them and sell direct to you.

[princessclyne69]

That online blog, by Todd McAllister, is the inspiration for the MPHS project. Being in O scale, he could start with a block of balsa wood and laminate styrene over it. He drew the original plans.

RG7

[luisflierl26]

There is an excellent history of intermodal on MoPac video on disk five of the MPHS Green Frog DVD set.

http://www.mopac.org/store/cd-s-dvd-s/item/41-mphs-5-dvd-collectors-set

[peggyrothschild]

Will post the link to the store once it’s available. We have 17 of these in stock. 45’ flat car is Chad Boas Kit.
[attachment=2:39xberjy]B26E6189-3080-45F7-8104-2C013A390F6A.jpeg[/attachment:39xberjy][attachment=1:39xberjy]7313EFD8-1326-4E92-932E-3A4B7F3F0476.jpeg[/attachment:39xberjy][attachment=0:39xberjy]7F4E3317-77FA-4228-9896-F59927F26302.jpeg[/attachment:39xberjy]

[peggyrothschild]

http://www.mopac.org/store/models-and-decals/ho-scale-vehicles-trailers/item/593-custom-missouri-pacific-truck-rail-container-kit-ho

[peggyrothschild]

Any interest in the MPHS offering decals for the IH tractor? MiniMetals makes one in HO scale. You’d have to scratchbuild the chassis. The container in the photo was a prototype; note it’s being lifted by a steam crane. [attachment=0:1lsqciyh]993C9529-0796-4730-8F60-9A5A016306FC.png[/attachment:1lsqciyh]

[Joseph Berry]

Charlie,

Yes! Sign me up for those. Great idea, already have the tractor….

Gary

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