Athearn - 17694 - Container, 20 Foot, Corrugated, Dry - Australia-New Zealand Direct Line - 3-Pack

Prototype History: Given the prevalence of 40 foot containers in the global shipping/maritime industry, the 20 foot container was a logical choice for smaller cargoes. Given that exactly two 20 foot containers can stack on or be stacked on a 40 foot container, these little brothers are a no-brainer for smaller loads. Cargo ships specially designed for 40 foot containers can usually handle these smaller units without specialized loading equipment or facilities.

Dry containers are meant for non-refrigerated goods and hence are the most common type.

Corrugation in the construction of these containers yields much greater strength (just like with corrugated cardboard for boxes) but is more expensive to fabricate. Due to the extra strength granted by the corrugation, this is a popular type for overseas use.

Road Name History: Australia-New Zealand Direct Line announced it is merging with Union Shipping of New Zealand. In the short term, this will expand ANZDL's presence in the trans-Tasman trade between Australia and New Zealand, but within a year, it should lead to an ANZDL service linking Australia-New Zealand with Asia.''It's all part of the broader trend toward consolidation in the shipping industry today,'' said Michael Beard, ANZDL's chief executive. Mr. Beard said ocean carriers today cannot survive by being tied to one trade lane. ANZDL's goal is to have a presence in all three legs of the North America- Australasia-Asia triangle.

Brand/Importer Information: Athearn's history began in 1938, when its founder-to-be, Irvin Athearn, started an elaborate O scale layout in his mother's house. After placing an ad selling the layout, and receiving much response to it, Irv decided that selling model railroads would be a good living. He sold train products out of his mother's house through most of the 1940s. After becoming a full-time retailer in 1946, Irv opened a separate facility in Hawthorne, California in 1948, and that same year he branched into HO scale models for the first time.

Athearn acquired the Globe Models product line and improved upon it, introducing a comprehensive array of locomotive, passenger and freight car models. Improvements included all-wheel drive and electrical contact. One innovation was the "Hi-Fi" drive mechanism, employing small rubber bands to transfer motion from the motor spindle to the axles. Another was the double-ended ring magnet motor, which permitted easy connection to all-wheel-drive assemblies. Athearn was also able to incorporate flywheels into double-ended drives.

The company produced a model of the Boston & Maine P4 class Pacific steam locomotive which incorporated a cast zinc alloy base and thermoplastic resin superstructure. It had a worm drive and all power pickup was through the bipolar trucks that carried the tender. This item was discontinued after the Wilson motor was no longer available, and was not redesigned for a more technologically advanced motor.

Athearn's car fleet included shorter-than-scale interpretations of passenger cars of Southern Pacific and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad prototypes. The company also offered a variety of scale-length freight cars with sprung and equalized trucks. The cars could be obtained in simple kit form, or ready-to-run in windowed display boxes. The comprehensive scope of the product line contributed to the popularity of HO as a model railroad scale, due to the ready availability of items and their low cost.

Irv Athearn died in 1991. New owners took control in 1994, but continued to follow Athearn's commitment to high-quality products at reasonable prices. Athearn was bought in 2004 by Horizon Hobby. Athearn was then moved from its facility in Compton to a new facility in Carson, California. In mid-2009, all remaining US production was moved to China and warehousing moved to parent Horizon Hobby. Sales and product development was relocated to a smaller facility in Long Beach, California.

Read more on Wikipedia and Athearn website.