Large Scale Central

AC Delton Classic boxcar

Modeling Rolling stock
#1

Yesterday at our club’s big annual meeting, I won an Aristocraft/Delton Classic D&RGW boxcar. I must say, I’m pleasantly surprised by the level of detail on this model. It’s much better than my old Big Hauler boxcar.

I’m curious though, about the size. Even for 1:24, it seems small. Was the prototype really that small?

A couple more questions: How do you disassemble the trucks? I’d like to replace the plastic wheels with metal. I’m also wondering about the couplers… haven’t tried it yet to see if it will work with my Bachmann couplers. (But then, I’m still debating the possibility of switching to Kadees at some point – and maybe body-mounted too.)

#2

Ray Dunakin said:
Yesterday at our club’s big annual meeting, I won an Aristocraft/Delton Classic D&RGW boxcar. I must say, I’m pleasantly surprised by the level of detail on this model. It’s much better than my old Big Hauler boxcar. I’m curious though, about the size. Even for 1:24, it seems small. Was the prototype really that small? A couple more questions: How do you disassemble the trucks? I’d like to replace the plastic wheels with metal. I’m also wondering about the couplers… haven’t tried it yet to see if it will work with my Bachmann couplers. (But then, I’m still debating the possibility of switching to Kadees at some point – and maybe body-mounted too.)

I’m not sure what you mean about the size Ray. This pic has, in order, an AristoClassic, Bachmann, USA American Series, LGB and another USA. They are all about the same size even with the Aristo and USAs at 1:24 and the Bachmann and LGB at 1:22.5.

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n214/altterrain/run%20days/41407Run1.jpg)

another train with Bachmann, LGB and USA American Series (same exact size as AristoClassic cars) -

(http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n214/altterrain/layout%20pix/may08/C16s-stonebridge.jpg)

I’m a bit more fond of the USA cars because they come in a few different styles beyond the wood sided. They also come in outside braced and simulated steel versions. They are a bit more detailed and have a Kadee body mount pad built in. Their couplers are also pretty compatible with the Bachmann ones. Aristo couplers are not compatible with Bachmanns. You can slip the closed Bachmann over a closed Aristo but that’s about it. It will be a pain to convert the Aristo car to Bachmann because the Aristo cars don’t have the tong. I have some old Delton couplers that don’t require a tong and are more compatible with the Bachmann. I’ll trade them for the Aristo ones. Forgot about the wheels. You can gently twist and pry the side frames to get the old wheels out and pop new ones in. Otherwise, you have to pop the springs out and but them back in. Guarantee you’ll lose at least one! Hope that helps. -Brian

#3

Unless they’ve changed the Classics line, they should come with the Delton style couplers. They will mate with Bachman and USA. Aristo’s standard coupler, that comes on their 1:29 stuff, will not couple with anything else. I even have a hard time getting them to couple with their own kind :o

#4

I have a lot of Delton and AC classics.
They are 1:24.
That means they are smaller than USA and LGB 1:22.5.
Shorter and narrower.
However, I run them with all the others, because I like a different roof-line look in my trains, like the real ones.
You have to physically spread the side frames to remove the plastic wheels.

I’ll take a few pics and post them later.

j

#5

USA claims that their American Series (the wood side stuff) is 1:24

#6
John Bouck said:
I have a lot of Delton and AC classics. They are 1:24. That means they are smaller than USA and LGB 1:22.5. Shorter and narrower. j
I don't notice any significant difference between any of them.

-Brian

#7

USA woodies are eggzakly the same size as LGB woodies, even down to the rivets and wood scribing on the bottoms.
That means they are scaled to whatever reviewer scaled them to in the beginning. 1:22.5 or whatever.
However, we cannot trust LGB anymore, can we?
Goofy Gummi Gauge. :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

Brian, they’re ain’t a significant difference, but a difference anyway.
It ain’t a big deal.

#8

Actually, my Bachmann boxcar looks kind of small to me too. But the thing that made me ask about the size was the fact that the door measures only 6 scale feet tall, and the door opening is only 5.5 scale feet.

#9

They were smaller back in the day, 30 ft. or less. The ones in this old pic look like the small New Bright cars -
http://www.shorpy.com/node/4535?size=_original
If the track is standard gauge, 4-8 1/2, then the box would be barely 6 feet tall

The little guy in this one is maybe 3 feet tall
http://www.shorpy.com/node/4395?size=_original

-Brian

#10

I love the pictures on that site.

#11

Brian, that first shot is Culpeper, VA, which being in the South, was most likely 5’ gauge up until after the civil war when the government standardized everything. (Let’s NOT start a political war over that, please. :slight_smile: ) Still, cars were definitely shorter and squatter in the early days of railroading.

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/box150/finishcompare.jpg)

It was not uncommon, especially in the early years, for box cars to be shorter than the people charged with loading and unloading them. The car on the right is a c. 1873 Billmeyer and Smalls box car. I would hope the freight office stashed a healthy supply of headache powders. As for the subtle variations in size between the brands, that’s exactly what you’d find on most narrow gauge railroads. Only the ultra-large lines (D&RGW, EBT) had “standard” sizes for their rolling stock, and even that really didn’t become the norm until the late 10s, early 20s. Most narow gauge operations used old and/or second-hand (third, forth-hand) equipment with no consistency at all. Relish the difference! Later, K

#12

Thanks guys. I guess I just forgot how small that old narrow gauge stuff really was!

Next question: I’d like to weather it, maybe completely repaint it, and replace the D&RGW logo with my own. But I’d rather not lose all the reporting marks and other fine text. Suggestions?

#13

A little alcohol and a Mr.Clean Magic Eraser.

-Brian

#14

Ray,

Many times the reporting marks were repainted on the sides of cars by painting a “block” either in the original color (which would contrast a bit with the older weathered color on the car) or in black. The renewed reporting marks would then be reapplied without painting the whole car. This can be simulated by simply masking over the lettering and then repainting the rest of the car.

Also it’s not necessary to remove all the lettering you want to obliterate. Simply repaint right over it after first testing paint compatability of course. Prototypes almost never removed old lettering and it was quite common to see the faint outline of previous lettering beneath the paint. Restorers commonly find layers of old paint and lettering when rebuilding old equipment.

Modelers are frequently much too meticulous about being “neater” than the prototype ever was.

#15

A very interesting and enlightening thread.

I have seventeen assorted Big Hauler freight cars. One had already been repainted but some have received the herald and wording of my fictitious RR.

I have noticed, in older photographs, how the stock on railroads varies in height. I also see this in more modern stock.

The old adage " a prototype for everything" is quite relevant I guess.