Help with Bookshelf Cases

[Krackel Hopper]

hey hey,

 

Not sure exactly where this post belongs..

 

My father recently got his first "high-speed" train.  The Bachmann Amtrak Acela.  I would like to get a bookshelf case for him to store, as the 5 starter cars came packaged in the large styrofoam box, and the 3 add-ons in individual jewel cases. 

 

Looking on HobbySearch, I have found some 8 car boxes, but I don't know if the cut-outs are tall enough to fit the Acela cars.  I think something like the case for the E4 Max would be perfect, but I am just not sure.

 

I'm currently looking at:

MicroAce B-1131 http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10094693

Casco YP-903 http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10096793

 

Any thoughts?

Jon

[NozomiFan]

WHAT? HOW DARE HE CALL A PATHETIC SCAMTRAK TRAIN A "HIGHSPEED" MACHINE!! I DEMAND JUSTICE!!!

But, I think the best course of action would be to by some snap track with 2 bumpers (enough to fit the whole train).

Solved. Put them on the book case. Ikea has some great shelves.

[KenS]

Well, at a top speed of 150 mph (240 kph), it's quite a bit faster than the first Shinkansen (which ran at 130 mph, 210 kph). Admittedly, it doesn't go that fast for most of its route; most of it is limited to 125 mph (201 kph), and there's quite a bit of much slower running.  And the wold of "high-speed trains" has moved on considerably from 1964. But I'd still call it high-speed.  Especially compared to our usual passenger trains.

 

On to the actual question: I don't have an Acela model, but one of my Mico Ace cases has cut-outs 137mm (5 3/8") long, not counting the coupler, and 23mm (7/8") high in the middle (not counting the trucks) and 27mm (1 1/16"), but that's likely to vary on individual cases. If you can post sizes for the Acela cars, that might be helpful if someone has one of the generic cases to check (I don't).

 

The foam could be cut (with a razor blade or similarly sharp knife), and that's probably going to be necessary to make space for pantographs. 

 

The Micro Ace foam is considerably stiffer than that used in Kato cases (I don't know about Casco's), and I've found that makes it hard to put cars away or get them out.  So you might also want to look at Kato:

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10029096

 

or their short case for four cars:

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003588

 

They also make one that apparently holds the plastic cases themselves, but HS doesn't have a photo and I've never seen one to know what it looks like:

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003589

 

But if this page is accurate, it's just the usual case without the foam:

 

http://www.wig-wag-trains.com/KatoPages/Other/Kato_Carry-Case_Product-Page.htm

[CaptOblivious]

I recommend one of these:

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10074420

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10074421

 

They hold 8 cars up to 25 scale meters in length, which makes them just under 17 real cm long…should be long enough. The height, however, is probably going to be your real problem. I do not know if the cutouts in these will be tall enough.

[David]

Especially compared to our usual passenger trains.

 

By that logic a slip-and-slide is "high speed" in the US.

 

Oh, and I have the same problem with the stiff/sticky Micro-Ace cases, I prefer Kato or Casco, both of which are also fairly easy to make a clean outs (foam doesn't crumble).

[David]

I recommend one of these:

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10074420

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10074421

 

They hold 8 cars up to 25 scale meters in length, which makes them just under 17 real cm long…should be long enough. The height, however, is probably going to be your real problem. I do not know if the cutouts in these will be tall enough.

 

The 8 car cases really compress the amount of space between cars - I actually had trouble getting the E531 double decker cars to fit. If any extra space was needed above (and given the height difference I think it probably will be) then you won't have much foam you can cut out.

[bill937ca]

There are some HO cases as well at HS.  Might be way too big, but maybe more padding could be added.