Large Scale Central

Authenticity?

General Discussion
#1

Logging cars

are the Bachmann 1:22.5 Skeleton log cars mostly prototypical in the way they look,
flat car log cars seem pretty straight forward prototypical as well as say
AMS type log disconnects,
the Bachmann Skeleton cars are fairly cheap compared to the disconnects
Would a logging outfit have and use all these different styles of log cars,
I’m sure somebody here has knowledge of proto typical logging cars,
I’m not a stickeler to 100% authenticity by any means,
just wondering about the relative authenticity of the Backmann style Skeletun car?
Randy

#2

I’d say anything goes as far as what a logging company used. Some bought them new, some bought them used from others that went out of business, and certainly some of them made their own. Whatever the need was and the costs involved. Most logging lines were temporary affairs anyway, when the logs played out, they moved the track to the next section.

#3

Randy you can get way with using the Bachmann log cars. The only thing I found with them was they seem to ride high. Maybe smaller trucks and wheels would lower the frames. With your wood skills I would make them. They are very easy to do and a lot of ways to do them. The ones I made were somewhat copied from the Bachmann log cars. Logging co. had so many different cars ect… If you make them Im sure a logging co. somewhere had something like it. The Bachmann ones will work fine. Just Google log car pictures and you will so all styles.

#4

Randy, I run logging cars from LGB, Bachmann and from my own Skunkworks. They all seem to fit together well. I run them in my own world, probably because they know me there. :smiley:

#5
Steve Featherkile said:
Randy, I run logging cars from LGB, Bachmann and from my own Skunkworks. They all seem to fit together well. I run them in my own world, probably because they know me there. :D
And why dont we ever get to see pictures of you running trains :) You know we like picturesw Steve.
#6

OhOh Steve, I think Shawn just called you onto the carpet. :slight_smile: (Way to go Shawn!) Now pics Steve. :wink:

#7

The RR is buried beneath 6 or more inches of ice.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/stevef/_forumfiles/Lairds_4_26_2011.jpg)

#8

Hi Randy,

You asked specifically about the Bachmann skeleton log cars and if they were prototypical in the way they look. The short answer is no.

They ride to high, the bunks are incorrect, the chains are wrong, the wheels are way out of scale and really show, the car is way too short even in 1:22 scale and they lack correct detail. These are the reasons they are relatively inexpensive when you compare them to cars made by Accu-Craft, Hartford, and others.

Can you make good looking usable cars from them? Certainly. Extend the reach, change the bunks, get some good scale wheels, use KD #1 knuckles or L&P’s, do some painting and weathering and you have a very presentable car.

There is no firm date lines in the history of use but generally speaking the disconnected trucks were mainly used in the very early days of rail logging, say 1880’s to 1900’s. The Skeleton log car came into more general use as the locomotive size increased so larger loads could be hauled. Open flat cars probably hauled more log loads than the skeletons and disconnects combined.

A skeleton log car of around 1900-1910 vintage built by say, Russel Wheel and Foundry, would run a load capacity of 60-80 thousand pounds, have a sill length of 34-42 feet and bunk centers of 23-33 feet 10 foot wide bunks and 33 inch wheels. These numbers are of course for standard gauge cars narrow gauge would be smaller and lighter.

You didn’t say what scale your locomotives are or what your railroad is built to but if your after 1:20 scale disconnects look at Accu-Craft and LGB. For 1:20 scale skeletons look at Accu-Craft and of course flats in 1:20 are made by Bachmann and Accu-Craft.

Most saw logs were bucked into 16 or 32 foot lengths in the woods, add 3-4 inches for each 16 foot increment, so the log cars were sized accordingly. There were of course specialty lengths hauled out for things like ship masts, piles, or telephone pols and the old disconnects came in handy for these hauls. They would use extra long rooster pols or just a chain connection between the trucks
or nothing at all.

Well all the above is just my opinion of course,
good luck on your project.
Rick

#9

Hey Rick Marty,
you gave me the info I needed,
I just got a 1:20.3 Bachmann Climax ,
I will steer away from the Bachmann Skeleton cars,
I’ll go for the AMS disconnects & flatcars for my needs.
thanks for your clear information for (the some of us )
that are less experienced in these maters
Randy

#10

Lots of good information in that post Rick. Thanks!