Questions?!?

I’m still some what new to G scale, and loving it I must say! I have a question or 2 for you guys if I may?

1). What coupler do most of you use? I have ½ Bachmann big haler equipment and ½ USA trains ? So right now is the time to do any switching that needs to be done.

2). The next question gets a bit involved but here we go. My railroad is a short line, ( like I cant afford a class one in G scale, drats! ) Any way it has a main continues lap line, ( circle ), with 5 industries and a big yard, that holdes about 25 – 30 cars, and a 5 stall round house. There is also a branch line running up hill. It pass threw a town ( not yet named ) to a coal mine. At the end of the line is a small station and small yard. 4 trains run over the main and up the branch line each day. 2 are passenger and 2 are local freights. The railroad makes its living ruining the 2 excursion trains and 2 local freight trains each day. The excursion trains are always headed by steam a 4-6-0 # 934 or # 10. The freights are headed by steam #10 or a NS. Gp 38. No here is my dilemma or DOLLY-LIM-A as it may be. I have just enough space to put in a turn table at one end of the Brach line. But I trying to keep that back woods look, and also trying to keep the appearance of distance between towns and so on. Running a steam engine backwards, and down hill on the 15 mile long branch would give a crew something to gripe a bought! So what do you folks think ? I’d love to hear some input on this here little mess of mine. Thanks for your time!

Sean P. Moore

 

I guess I should have been just a bit more clear on the couplers. I have 2 kind’s of knuckle couplers, one from Bachman and one from USA trains. The USA trains looked a bit small and the Bahaman look a bit big. USA don’t seem to like the taste of the Bachman . One car with USA dint like other USA couplers and had as much dislike for the Bachman. However at this time all the Bachman seem to be working out just fine. But that is for know. I was wondering what other G scalers use, as I know from my many years in HO that K’ds are the only way to go. So I’d like to get on the right path now.

I wish I had room for a "Y" , the turmntabe uses a 3 foot DIam. as it is! UUUGGGG!!!! I gues I should say that this is an indoor railroad.

 

I myself use Aristocraft knuckle couplers - most of my rolling stock is Aristo but is easy to change other brands over to Aristo- the Bachman knuckles seem to uncouple on uneven track too much (my rr is outside). Kadees com e highly recommended as well. As for your other problem, I would not operate a steam eng pulling a train backwards for any great distance- I think it would be un-prototipical in that the engineer would have to lean out his window the whole trip in order to "see" what was ahead. I would do my best to figure a way out to wye the eng at the end of the line.........just my 2 cents worth.

 

I have more questions, isn’t that just like me though? If I were to convert to KD’s on my G scale, will they mount on the existing draw bars or will I have to cut and hack the cars to get them on there?

 

I run all B-mann stuff and use the B-mann couplers, because of their larger then scale size, I get less unwanted uncouplings. and if I visit someones railroad, and their track work is not very good, my train will not uncouple on their uneven track work. I rather have reliablity then all scale parts

 

Sean,
if your trackwork is well laid (and inside there's no excuse for it not to be) the Bachmann knuckle couplers work well and reliably, plus they are dirt cheap and can be easily drilled to make working liftbars. The only complaints I hear about them uncoupling unexpectedly is on rough trackwork, & hell, so did the real ones!
I now scratch-build all of my equipment and use only B/mann couplers and metal wheels.
Re loco-first running, here in Sth Oz on the SAR-EPD division until the '50s it was usual practice to run tender first for up to 50 miles. And diesels don't care which way they point, so that's another alternative.