40' HC Reefers in HO
Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 9:21 pm
One of the 'holes' in the HO scale Intermodal market until recently has been availability of a nice modern reefer box.
Walthers has marketed for many years a 40' reefer, but that doesn't represent modern reefers well (it hasn't stopped them putting probably inappropriate current liveries on them, but that's another story!) - being based on an older model with a riveted construction style not used in recent years - the Walthers one looks a bit like this Hapag-Lloyd box I shot back in 2010, except for not having the inset part of the roof over the reefer unit due to them compromising on re-using bits of existing tooling:
Whilst you still see the occasional reefer built like that, the vast majority out there now have a 'planked' effect to the sidewall - a very different looking box. I did once have a go at sanding down the side of the Walthers box and scribing on 'planks' - but the result wasn't good...
Athearn did a 20' reefer with that type of construction a few years back, but nobody's done a 40'....until now!
C-Rail, who has previously worked in UK N, OO and O gauges with various intermodal-related products has now entered the HO scale market with not just a 40' high cube, but a 20' as well. Both scaled down from popular releases in OO.
End comparisons, including a Walthers box for comparison. The (Daikin) reefer unit is a separate piece (as is it's compressor) allowing for the potential of different reefer unit brands in future, and giving more depth than the Walthers (Carrier) unit. They also show some great detail painting like the seals round the doors...
Walthers has marketed for many years a 40' reefer, but that doesn't represent modern reefers well (it hasn't stopped them putting probably inappropriate current liveries on them, but that's another story!) - being based on an older model with a riveted construction style not used in recent years - the Walthers one looks a bit like this Hapag-Lloyd box I shot back in 2010, except for not having the inset part of the roof over the reefer unit due to them compromising on re-using bits of existing tooling:
Whilst you still see the occasional reefer built like that, the vast majority out there now have a 'planked' effect to the sidewall - a very different looking box. I did once have a go at sanding down the side of the Walthers box and scribing on 'planks' - but the result wasn't good...
Athearn did a 20' reefer with that type of construction a few years back, but nobody's done a 40'....until now!
C-Rail, who has previously worked in UK N, OO and O gauges with various intermodal-related products has now entered the HO scale market with not just a 40' high cube, but a 20' as well. Both scaled down from popular releases in OO.
End comparisons, including a Walthers box for comparison. The (Daikin) reefer unit is a separate piece (as is it's compressor) allowing for the potential of different reefer unit brands in future, and giving more depth than the Walthers (Carrier) unit. They also show some great detail painting like the seals round the doors...
