Large Scale Central

Carter Bros Coach Kits for $152

Modeling Rolling stock
#1

On a whim, I emailed Harald Brosch of the Lasergang in Germany to see if he was still making the kits. Here’s his reply:

Hello Thomas

Yes - the files are still ready to use
And I´m still in the lasercutting and engraving business

Ordering via mail
Payment via paypal - also with credit-cards.
Lasering is done in some 2 weeks after receiving of payment

Prices in Euro - price in US-currency depends on the paypal exchange rate

Shipping
1 car - shipping as subscribed letter with German Postal Service 20,00 Euro
up to 5 cars - shipping with DHL as parcel - 49,00 Euro

US customs - its the customers concern. I don´t know, if there are any payments due.
Shipped as modelrailroad kit

GB701 - Carter Brother Coach - planked - incl Seats - files by David Fletcher - Preis 125,00 Euro

GB702 - Carter Brother Coach - planked - without seats - files by David Fletcher - Preis 90,00 Euro

GB703 - Carter Brother Coach - board and batton - incl Seats - files by David Fletcher - Preis 125 Euro

GB704 - Carter Brother Coach - board and batton - without seats - files by David Fletcher - Preis 125 Euro

GB705 - Carter Brother Combine - board and batton - incl Seats - files by David Fletcher - Preis 120 Euro

GB706 - Carter Brother Combine - board and batton - without seats - files by David Fletcherr - Preis 90,00 Euro

GB707 - Carter Brother Combine - planked - incl Seats - files by David Fletcher - Preis 120,00 Euro

GB708 - Carter Brother Combine - planked - ohne Sitze - Entwickler David Fletcher - Preis 90 Euro

GS709 - Set mit 6 seat banks for Carter-Wagen inkl. Lehnen an beiden Seiten - Preis 12,00 Euro

Tschüß
Harald Brosch

Lüneburger Strasse 43 - 21423 Winsen
Mobil: 0179-2121559 - Fax: 04131-64247 - Home: 04171-73907
Int. UmSt-Id-Nr: DE 246 183 610

www.williwinsen.de - www.modulbahner.de - www.lasergang.de
www.deckenluke.de - www.eisenbahn-modulbau.de
Shop bei Hood www.hood.de/shop/14034/williwinsen.htm

Neu - Youtube-Videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7P0oheEObbRXbUl5nMgeQ

120 euro + 20 euro shipping is only $152 today ! Here’s the photo on his website:

http://www.lasergang.de/Verschiedene-Wagen.htm#Carter%20Brothers%20US-Coach,%20Bj.%20ca.%201880

My coach has Bachmann J&S trucks from an old kit (photo attached below.) Harald shipped me both kinds of sides for a small fee.

My only comment would be to finish the sides before assembly. They are plywood, not smooth styrene, so they need priming and sanding with 600 or finer sandpaper.

Bob Sorenson's Howe Truss Deck Bridge
#2

Pete,

I am not sure if I like you or dislike you for this. . .(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif) just kidding I like you no matter what. But I was thinking of scratch building two of these coaches, believing no supplier was left. But then decided that if I was going to go to that trouble I would build prototype correct Brill coaches. Now you bring this into the picture (and honestly those prices aren’t to bad in my opinion) and now I don’t know what to do.

#3

You know what to do, Grasshoper.

#4

Devon,

One thing I have learned in the past 10 years is that these specialist offerings tend to come - and go. If you might ever need one, I’d buy it now and put it on the stash of un-built kits. You will retire one day . .

#5

Pete Thornton said:

You will retire one day . .

Not likely in my case. I’ll probably still be be working when I’m 80 if I make it that long.

Back to the topic; These are complete kits less trucks made from laser cut plywood? That is a reasonable price (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)

#6

this is a very good price, think i will get a couple myself,

thanks for posting,

#7

Yeah,

Pete I hear you. I agree if its available its probably a good idea to jump. It will be there for someday. But there are a few little nit picky issues with the Carter Bros. coaches that I am not sure I can over look. The main one is the roof ends do not go all the way to the ends like a Brill and the other is that there are 12 windows not 14. I can overlook all of these for the right price.

However in another thread someone mentioned Bachmann Jackson & sharp coaches an i looked at them and they are better aesthetically in that at least the roofs come to the ends. Not sure of scale. But Accucraft sells a Jackson and Sharp 1:20.3 coach that is lovely and would make a great stand in.

Oh what to do?

#8

Devon Sinsley said:

Yeah,

Pete I hear you. I agree if its available its probably a good idea to jump. It will be there for someday. But there are a few little nit picky issues with the Carter Bros. coaches that I am not sure I can over look. The main one is the roof ends do not go all the way to the ends like a Brill and the other is that there are 12 windows not 14. I can overlook all of these for the right price.

However in another thread someone mentioned Bachmann Jackson & sharp coaches an i looked at them and they are better aesthetically in that at least the roofs come to the ends. Not sure of scale. But Accucraft sells a Jackson and Sharp 1:20.3 coach that is lovely and would make a great stand in.

Oh what to do?

Devon,

These coaches have duck-bill ends, and are totally different from the regular clerestory coaches which have a curved end over the platform. It doesn’t sound as if they are suitable for your Brill project.

The Accucraft J&S coaches are very nice (once you remove the wipers on the trucks.) They are scale size, so they are 30-40% longer than the Bachmann. It is fairly easy to replace the sides, cut new windows, etc. Check out G.A.L.'s coach page: http://www.thegalline.com/passengerequ30.html

Bachmann coaches are 1:22.5 and are also compressed, so it is virtually impossible to up-size them to 1:20.3. If you google around you’ll find photos comparing the B’mann and Accu coaches.

#9

John,

I believe all the coaches are based on mm plastics. I have copied the build threads and have the drawings (somewhere). I have followed the threads where Dave Fletcher has REPEATEDLY told folks it is OK to manufacture the cars FOR PERSONAL USE, NOT COMMERCIAL. I started to convert the cars to fractional dimensions to build in wood, but never completed the project. Partially due to the methodology the original drawings use to represent the floor and floor framing. Maybe this will be incentive to pick that project back up.

Bob C.

#10

Pete Thornton said:

Devon,

These coaches have duck-bill ends, and are totally different from the regular clerestory coaches which have a curved end over the platform. It doesn’t sound as if they are suitable for your Brill project.

The Accucraft J&S coaches are very nice (once you remove the wipers on the trucks.) They are scale size, so they are 30-40% longer than the Bachmann. It is fairly easy to replace the sides, cut new windows, etc. Check out G.A.L.'s coach page: http://www.thegalline.com/passengerequ30.html

Bachmann coaches are 1:22.5 and are also compressed, so it is virtually impossible to up-size them to 1:20.3. If you google around you’ll find photos comparing the B’mann and Accu coaches.

That’s kinda my thinking Pete. The duck bill ends are the most glaring problem. I could live with 12 windows. I was figuring to build with the basic principle of the Carter coaches but extend the roof and cut in the 12 windows. In the other thread others have witnessed to the fact that the B’mann coaches are small in 1:20.3 especially in a mixed train with freight cars which is how my prototype typically ran. The Accucraft coaches are very nice and actually not to badly priced for a completed car I found one place where they are $250. I only need two so I can see making this purchase at some point. I would gladly live with the 12 windows.

#11

Two points. First, these are 13-window coaches, so if your prototype has 14 windows, you’re only 1 short.

More importantly, though, is that it’s pretty easy to change these to bullnose ends. (I think that’s the right term.) Here’s a photo of the end of the roof as built to the plans:

To change to a bullnose end, just get yourself a block of Balsa wood, insert it at the end instead of doing the duckbill, and sand the block to shape.

Later,

K

1 Like
#12

Pete,

looked at that website and it looks as if you have had some fun with those Accu coaches, and might know a thing or two about how to do the side retrofits.

I might need to pick your brain on this. I can’t get into that project now but it looks very promising.

Brill Coach Circa 1887

Same coach (or its sister) just shortly after 1900 and is sale and rebuild at White Pass

Still some differences but I think I could easily live with them. The Brill roof ends are very unique. But all in all I like the loos of the Accuraft and just saw one site where they are $229.

Devon

#13

Kevin that’s a good point. At 150-160 a kit a guy could play with it. I might just have to break down and get them. Heck the seats alone would be worth it lol. I am dreading hand making the seats. Wat the worst that can happen I have two very nice coaches. I might even buy a combine even though the prototype never had one.

#14

Devon,

Here is a comparison of a LGB coach (very similar in size to Bachmann) and a Accucraft Jackson&Sharp coach.

#15

And the price difference is just as dramatic (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-money-mouth.gif)I love the Accucraft coaches, but sadly I’ll never own any.

#16

Here’s some more fodder:

And, yes, I do rather enjoy being evil and posting photos to inspire you to experiment with these kits.

Here’s the root directory for more construction photos of this combine:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/combine18/

Alas, the build log on this has long since been lost to cyberspace.

Later,

K

#17

I bought my Accucraft/AMS J&S coaches when they were first introduced back in dearly 2008. I got a case of four for about $700 at that time.

#18

Bob “IA3R#7” Cope said:

John,

I believe all the coaches are based on mm plastics. I have copied the build threads and have the drawings (somewhere). I have followed the threads where Dave Fletcher has REPEATEDLY told folks it is OK to manufacture the cars FOR PERSONAL USE, NOT COMMERCIAL. I started to convert the cars to fractional dimensions to build in wood, but never completed the project. Partially due to the methodology the original drawings use to represent the floor and floor framing. Maybe this will be incentive to pick that project back up.

Bob C.

Just in case anyone wondered about Bob’s capitalized comment - Harald and the Lasergang were one of 3 originally sanctioned vendors for these coaches, and are now the only one left!

#19

Devon,

Those roof ends are easy.

Here’s a 14-window coach made from an Accucraft J&S. See

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/19732/east-broad-top-coach-12

And both Kevin and I have cut an extra window to make it 13, plus end windows, in the standard coach:

#20

Gary Armitstead said:

Devon,

Here is a comparison of a LGB coach (very similar in size to Bachmann) and a Accucraft Jackson&Sharp coach.

That is a dramatic difference. That would rule out the Bachmann for sure.