[ashleyh]

Oh dear! As if the run up to Christamas wasn't already expensive enough, what with the new M7, Britannia, Fairburn etc. Look at what has just landed from those lovely Danes.

Available at Hattons now. Check the link for full details.

I seriously want one of these. The only issue I can spot with it is the price.

It works on DCC or Analogue DC, and from the description it appears that it may use magnets, as you can modify existing containers by placing metal strips inside.

It even includes gantry floodlighting.....oh dear...

 

[Doug]

This is great. I'd like to get one to review. Hattons...???

Together with the Märklin crane, this is a fine example of DCC at work on the layout.

 

[dwb]

There is a demo video on the Heljan website but don't all rush at once, world wide demand to see it has caused Heljan to take that particular server down while they work out what to do about it. The first time I found out about this was November 1st and having checked just now (Nov 3rd 19:00 GMT) it's still down. Don't hold your breath.

David

 

[ashleyh]

I've just this minute found videos on the Walthers website, the Microsoft Media Player one seems to work best on my PC. Nice music too.

I so want one, but my wife has just asked tha inevitable question....and she was not too happy with the answer.

Enjoy the videos here:-
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-89001

 

[alibuchan]

its making me want to build a container terminal.

The cost is a teeny weeny little bit of a problem.

I have worked out that I am a little short for it, anybody got a spare £370 they are willing to donate to Alistair's Container Crane Fund!!!!

Alistair

 

[Doug]

Streaming video here:

 

[neil_s_wood]

If I was going to spend that kind of money on a feature I would probably go the Trix gantry crane. It's actually cheaper and would fit in with a few more scenes. The container terminal feature means you ahve to have a container terminal. It would be good to combine with the Faller road system though. You could have trucks going past or coming in to collect containers. Would be good to see a review if Doug buys one.

 

[dwb]

Now that is what I call a demo...

except there were no container systems like that in the 50s in the UK, so my wallet is safe apart from the temptation to build a container depot module and dust down my old Hornby freightliners....

>It would be good to combine with the Faller road system though
Once the container crane has been built, there's a lorry whizzing round and round like a demented bee....

David

 

[Dennis David]

Funny they didn't just use a joystick ... but that has got to be fun addition to any layout. Now all we have to do is make car sounds out the side of our mouths and for sure our wives will have us committed.

 

[Gary]

You look at the price and think "Wow!" and then you look at the video and think "Wow!"

Wow!

Remarkable!

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[squeaky]

That is excellent

, not quite so keen on the price tag

Don't think I'd get that one past the wife

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (squeaky @ 5 Nov 2006, 00:01) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>That is excellent

, not quite so keen on the price tag

Don't think I'd get that one past the wife

Just lie, thats what the rest of us have to do.

 

[Gary]

QUOTE Just lie, thats what the rest of us have to do.

Travelling back from the Summer hols I was chatting to a bloke on the ferry who happened to be a railway modeller and his wife was standing next to him. He happened to have a certain Marklin loco and I happened to mention the price. You should have seen the look on the wife's face!

The topic of conversation moved on very quickly and moved back to model railways when the wife went off to get her "cheap" perfume!

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[dwb]

I have just calculated that if you want to model the MS Maersk, the world's largest container ship and also Danish, alongside one or three of these model cranes you will need 5 off 4foot modules. The ship itself being just over 17 feet long in 1/76 scale. For HO it will of course be shorter at just over 15 feet so 4 modules would be enough.

Any takers?

David

 

[Gary]

The biggest container ship in the world, the Emma Maersk has just docked at a port in the UK with 11000 containers on it all jam packed with Xmas goodies produced in and from China. This story made the BBC news. The ship must have left China at the beginning of September so whilst we are all enjoying our Summer hols the Chinese are producing the Xmas goodies for the UK.

I wonder if any Bachmann and Hornby Xmas goodies are on there?

Imagine Heljan producing containers with "Hornby" and "Bachmann" on the side!

How long would it take for one Heljan Container Crane to load up 11000 containers?

Say 2 minutes per container so 22000 minutes or 366 hours. Given that you are on it for an 8 hour day that would take 46 days of Heljan Container Crane operating!

Now put in those terms the asking price seems to offer very good value for money in terms of the 46 days of solid playtime!

And think of all the practice you are going to get for the next time you put £1 in the slot of a "Pick up a Teddy Bear" arcade grabber machine. Arcade owners will ban all Heljan Container Crane operators from the grabber machines.

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[Doug]

Who said anything about a 8 hour day

These guys work through the night non-stop. Also there are 5 or 6 cranes working at once on a ship this size.

All 11 000 containers are not loaded at one place and then dropped off in another - Hornby and Bachmann are not doing that well...

The ship loads up the containers in at least 3 East Asian ports and then brings them to 4 or 4 European ports.

 

[Gary]

Wow that is absolutely amazing!

Stunning pictures.

Is it 11000 containers though?

Can't see them all fitting on.

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[dwb]

You can read details of the unloading operation here on the BBC. The 3000 containers destined for the UK will be unloaded in 36 hours.

David

 

[neil_s_wood]

I saw this ship on the news last night and it an absolute monster. Apparently it's so big that it cannot get through the Panama canal. It said that it was docking in the UK first before going to Europe. I'd like to have gone and seen it.

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 5 Nov 2006, 01:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Just lie, thats what the rest of us have to do.

I've got to be so lucky with my lovely wife -

I own up with the true price - get a minor b********* (not always though, sometime a get a "that's nice I like it"), then I have to buy her a pair of shoes - so £300 loco = £30 shoes, fair price to me LOL.

The alternative is to tell porkies and/or hide it & when she finds out (& she always does), then the B********* is of nuclear proportions, no treats for a while & even Imelda Marcos's shoe collection would not get me off the hook !

As she says "you need another locomotive like I need another pair of shoes". (I can turn that one around though).

Only bought 3 this weekend - looks like a trip to New Look.

I'll never really understand the lovely ladies - as a friend of mine once said "They are heading the same way as us, but they run on a different gauge".

best regards
Brian