I have been given two Bachmann 12-wheel passenger cars, one coach, one combine. I would like to use them with my 4-6-0 but they look a bit too big to me. Would it be ok to shorten them a bit and fit 4-wheel trucks instead? I feel this would be more in keeping with the small railroad look. I expect these cars are 85ft long, what other (shorter) lengths were in use?
What era? I ask becuase the D&H had 82' as far back as 1893 http://www.trainweb.org/dhvm/photographs/passenger/photographs_coach.htm
By 1950 the D&H already had modern Steal Coaches being pulled by Diesels as well as Wooden Coaches. This would also be the era of the Class J Challengers doing passenger service. I looked through some of the Class D's (4-6-0) images and found one from 1952 that is pulling both Wooden and Steal Coaches so I would say you are fine with the longer passenger cars. Built 1950
The images found in the Delaware and Hudson in HO Scale (Page#4) is a set of Heavyweight passenger cars that would have operated during the era in question. #488 Baggage - Built 1907 #716 RPO - Built ???? #107 Combine - Built 1893 #233 Coach- Built 1904, Rebuilt 1921-25 #151 Diner - Built 1940-41 #250 Coach - Built 1904, Rebuilt 1921-25 #247 Coach - Built 1904, Rebuilt 1921-25 #200 Business Car - Built 1893 65' 5" but was later rebuilt 1940 - Steal / 82 Foot
Alan, I know some passenger cars were 60' in length. I am not a big passenger train guy so I can't tell you all the details. Why not try going to the Walthers site and look up Pasasenger cars, I know they have a big assortment of nice looking cars from the 20's to the present. It may help you see what you are looking for.
Gosh, my Walthers catalogue or 'reference book' is sitting just above my computer desk, must take a look
If these cars have not been up-graded to KD's and you are thinking about it, be aware that Bachmann SPECTRUM had two different three axle runs, First & 1998 Passenger. http://www.kadee.com/conv/pdf/b39.pdf http://www.kadee.com/conv/pdf/b58.pdf [ April 19, 2005, 04:07 AM: Message edited by: locomotive2 ]
It isn't unusual to see early photos of 70 footers pulled by 4-4-0s and 4-6-0s in the late 1890s early 1900s. A number of photos in my books show double headed combinations of the aforementioned locos with strings of varnish between 9 to 14 cars long with a few headend cars of 50-60 foot length on the front.
The set of cars I listed above and images shown via that previous link are a 8 Car Set from International Hobby Corp (IHC). They have several road names being offerd right now.
Thanks all. The cars I have are disassembled but have all the bits, including flexible diaphragms. I will only want to run a two car mpassenger set at busy times. Rest of the day passenger service will be covered by my gas-electric. I just thought that 12-wheel 85ft cars looked too big, so want to shorten them a bit. The widows do not have flush glazing, so I will have to work on them Should be an interesting project though, once I get around to them
welcome to The Big Problem Of the middle/late/even early steam era: Basically, with passenger car,s, tehy got long and big, FAST!
Had a look at the cars on the layout last night and think that if I shorten them, it may be difficult to hide the joint lines. So I may leave them as they are, but repaint and detail them. When they are painted Pullman green, they maybe will blend in better If the 4-6-0 looks a bit small to haul them, I could use one of my 2-8-0's.
If you look through the DHVM Steam Engine and Passenger sections you will see various photos pulling these Heavyweight cars including some double headers I believe.
During the 1950s time era HW 85' car are appropriate. Likewise your 4-6-0 is appropriate power for a train of the two cars you have. You could toss a six to eight milk reefers between them and the loco and have a nice train. You don't need to shorten them.
I just took a quick look at a WP book I have and found a few examples in the 60 to 75 foot range, and historically in the fifties, although it looks like they were going away at that point. Built in the 20's, gone in the 60's. I remember touring a few private cars at the Oroville roundhouse that were smaller than the 80+ footers seen on the zephyr.
Thanks Eric and Bobby. I have decided that the cars will stay full length, when painted in pullman green they will look good behind my steam locos, I am sure. But first, I really do have to get more work done on the layout so they have somewhere to run
Alan- There were definitely shorter cars. But for your time frame, probably few and far between. And mostly on shortline mixed trains. Do you consider your empire to be shortline? Or want it to have a feel for being part of a larger operation? My only concern, would be that long cars might somewhat overpower the space available. Boxcab E50
Ken, you may be right about the size of the coaches in relation to available space. Time will tell when I get around to getting them repainted. If they do look out of place, I may get Andersley Western shops to do a custom job on them
I have seen many pictures where things did not match up size wise. It is part of the shortline/branchline look to run whatever is handy because you need to get a job done. I'd leave those cars as they are. Just my two cents.
