All models on this page are S Scale How I made an S Scale Intermodal Train I started off with 3 Conrail based photos because that is what I remember seeing lots of when I visited Altoona. This page will be different than the other “My Models” pages. It is not about a single specific project I have made. I don’t claim to be an Intermodal expert. This page will focus on making an S Scale intermodal (Container stack and TOFC) train as best as possible with the rather limited number of commercially available items in S to create a different type of unit train. There is by far not the variety of ready to run rolling stock like in HO. But no deep dive painting or detailing projects here at least for the cars. The “modern” Overland diesels shown are a huge problem of their own. I just bought commercially made cars, containers and trailers and used them mostly as received or changed what was needed to get them to run.

I am not discussing the single trailer flat cars made by SHS, MTH and American Models. I think they are a bit older and do not fit in my definition of “S Scale Modern”. The Lionel/American Flyer 3 car articulated set is also not here. I got some of those about 10 years ago which is where this Intermodal direction started but they are really just Lionel O-27 cars on S trucks. Everything made for 0-27 is just too big for S Scale so I sold them.

As usual in S Scale there are a number of challenges in making this intermodal train happen, maybe a bit more than usual.

You are building this new train type basically completely dependent on just 3cars for now – the Des Plaines Hobbies (AKA S Scale America) Gunderson Husky Stack car, the American Models Impack articulated TOFC spine car and more recently a TTCX flat car from Pre-Size. The American Models Impack articulated TOFC was released in 3 and 5 car sets. Yes that is all a bit thin compared to other scales but it is better than nothing

Making matters worse is as of 5-29-24 when I first made this page Des Plaines and American Models do not list the cars as in stock for scale. Des Plaines has containers but no cars. There is a third car made by Bill’s Train Shop the F89 which is the modern version of the PRR F39. The F89 is a pewter craftsman kit that needs significant assembly work. I never bought any when first released in 2005 and you almost never see them for sale so I am not including them here yet. Bill also does not have any for sale. So I don’t have any F89 but they would fit here and add to the variety a bit. You are forced to search eBay or train shows for the known future to find the cars. Des Plaines has been discussing releasing a different stack car – I am not sure what it is. I heard some people have seen some parts but I have not. Nothing is publically for sale yet. Maybe they let the Husky Stack stock out to release the new car.

S Scale America Gunderson Husky Stack

These are some of the Husky Stack cars that Des Plaines has offered

I got a Husky Stack car kit made in 1992 by the original S Scale America (owned by Larry Jackman) when it was first released. There were a lot of parts. It is difficult to assemble a car when you have never seen in real life. For the first time there was an S Scale car with an integral draft gear. The proved to be a big problem because the coupler height was at least ½ coupler high with no way to fix it. More on that later.

When I assembled painted and decaled my car it the build dates in the decal set that was 1992! I dare say that at least briefly that S Scale may have been first in getting this car in any scale. There are a LOT of small decals on a Husky Stack car. Since I was trying to stay firmly in PRR and transition era at that time a very time consuming “modern” kit car assembly was not repeated. I actually traded it away so I don’t even have my original car any more. Des Plaines was correct to eventually offer them as assembled and ready to run.

There are 4 big issues with the Husky Stack cars. They are very light when running empty without containers and like to derail a lot. The couplers are glued into the draft gear. You could cause significant damage to the car in repairing a broken coupler or trying to change from the AF compatible coupler to Kadees. That is no screw to remove to access and repair the couplers. The vertical grab angles at the ends of the car are very fragile.

But the BIG issue is coupler height being it is at least ½ coupler high. My original Husky Stack car had high couplers as well. The ends of the car are built on and around the draft gear making any easy fix all but impossible. I think the real car has 40” wheels. The only way I could think of to lower the car is get very small custom 26” code 110 wheels made from NWSL. 26” in S Scale equals 36” in HO and lower the car. That added about $15.00+ per car to the cost. Somehow I got some NWSL 26” code 88 wheels, they have to be swapped put with 26” code 110 wheels.

I have recently made a few wheels cross bashing S Helper Service 33” wheels with Kadee (# 522) 36” code 110 wheels. You should have a lathe to make them but maybe could use a drill press and table vise. I drill out the Kadee wheels to match the SHS axle bushing and cross install. My 4 test axles were pretty easy to make so far. The wheels are so small if there is any wobble it is really not noticeable. The smaller wheels made the cars usable and much closer to correct coupler height. I have heard but cannot confirm Des Plaines revised the car to fix the coupler height issue.

Plastic Containers

Equally important as the Stack cars are the containers. Des Plaines made a nice variety of lengths and paint schemes ready to use. The containers were also originally as flat panel kits but pretty easy to assemble. To the best of my knowledge Des Plaines is the only maker of the 53’ long containers.

These are various containers made by Des Plaines Hobbies/Scale America. There are some they made that I do not own.

Diecast Containers

To fix the Husky Stack cars that are light when empty issue I usually run the bottom level with die cast containers from various sources mostly made for the 1/64 die cast truck hobby. Some 40’ containers are 14 ounces! Two companies that I know of are PEM and DCP. Finding just the containers only for sale on eBay can be a significant challenge. The availability seems to vary depending on when you are buying. My last time I was buying new containers was about 3 years ago. I got a PEM set of just a container and a trailer but don’t see that now. If it is a shipping container it is usually in a 3 piece set of the higher end truck, trailer, and container for $100.00 +. Lately there are a number of eBay listings of crude 3D printed containers. They will not help you need die cast containers for more weight. So far the containers have all fit in the cars very well. The diecast containers usually have corrugated sides.

The below Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are recent purchases. (5-31-24) The price has zoomed they were $35.00 each.

If you want a Husky Stack train this is the only way to get one in S Scale. By the time you buy the car, 2 containers and replacement wheels you could easily be at $125.00 per car.

American Models Impack Spine Cars

These are the American Models Impack Spine cars released in 1996. They were sold in 3 and 5 articulated A, B and C car sets painted as UTTX, Conrail and Southern Pacific. Ironically they have some of the same problems as the Husky Stack cars. The cars have some weights in them but are still somewhat light when empty and the couplers are high. But the coupler issue is not as severe because in the 3 or 5 cars sets there are only 2 couplers. You can and should use the same 26” code 110 wheels in ALL the trucks. But you only HAVE to have the correct height on the unit ends. American Models has made small code 125 scale wheels for these cars. I like to use code 110 wheels.

I don’t know if the Impack cars are the correct length. American Models has made cars shorter for the sharper hi rail curves. I do not have any 53’ long trailers so I don’t know how they well would fit on the spine cars.

American Models Trailers

These are some of the American Models 40’ trailers. American Models does have trailers in stock, some of which are a newer era paint scheme. I have used some S Helper Service trailers but I consider them to be 1950s and 1960s era, not really appropriate for “modern”.

This is showing how the Impack cars look in a train.

Some of the doors on the containers easily open. I have goofed that they were looted and had some train nerd fun here with 2 figures on top of a container.

Pre Size TTCX Flat Car

Steve Walcott of Pre Size Models makes this TTCX flat car kit for container service. You can purchase it here.

I get it that all of the above does not sound overly positive or “easy”. Modeling in S Scale is not supposed to be EASY. I would be in HO IF I WANTED EASY. I have long said that you have to give a little blood for your art. This page is just 1 of over 1000+ things I have done in my S Scale modeling life.

Thanks if you are still reading here. I have a YouTube clip of this Intermodal train running here on 4-28-24.

Updated 6-1-24

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