I am looking to add some intermodal equipment to the roster. I have a couple of Husky Stacks by Roundhouse I think, but want to get an articulated set or a set that runs better than the Husky Stacks I currently have. What would your recommendations be? Atheren articulated sets, Deluxe Innovations, BLMA, etc? All input will be of help and valued!
Delux is great, I have there maxi-stacks and twin stacks and they both look and run great. On the cheaper side is the Walthers 5 packs that with a few easy upgrades like Micro-train couplers and a etched metal walkway set look and ruin great. Kevin
Athearn/MDC/Roundhouse and Con-Cor are the ones to avoid. I had some of each and sold them off. Just too light to track well. Anything DI has done thus far are winners, same for BLMA with exquisite detailing. N Scale kits are fine if a bit basic, and the Walthers need a lot of work to look good. And don't forget the Katos - they use a strange connection method which, in it's earlier iterations, broke easily. They're the only game in town for the MAXI IV though, but Deluxe should be taking care of that shortly.
The Athearn and MDC Huskey stack cars run fine when the bottom container has weight added, they are just too light to run empty. Even the Con-Cor all purpouse stack car can be made to run well with the addition of MicroTrains trucks, couplers. Only metal body cars will run well when empty such as the DI maxi III, Kato maxi IV and Walthers Thrall cars.
I agree with all the comments so far. I'll just add that Kato has (quietly perhaps) announced that the next run of Maxi-IV cars will have a re-designed articulated joint: "The January 2012 release of MAXI-IV well cars will have redesigned connectors to make them easier than ever to connect and disengage." I'm guessing this is response to complaints from people about how fragile the original design was. Kato also has the new Maxi-I sets coming out in 2012 as well. After that, the only real gap in the modern intermodal scene will be: 53' Trinity or NSC well cars, 53' all-purpose well cars Triple-57' spine cars All of these have been promised for years by various companies... sigh. But pretty good time for intermodal nonetheless. -Gary P.S. I'm curious to see if the Kato re-design leads to new 125T trucks for the articulated joints. They are the only ones who make such a truck (with 38" wheels) and I've been using them on other articulated sets. But their parts dept. has been sold out of them for months.
