Large Scale Central

Comparing Reefers...LGB/USTrains

Reviews
#16

Info from “EMD Trainman” for clarification on USA Trains scales:

USA Trains began as Charles Ro Trains in 1987, and there was just one series of trains. After the name changed to USA Trains in 1989, there was more product expanding to what it is today. There are now three different series of USA Trains and here are the differences:

#1 The USA American series: This is a 1:24 scale ratio series product line up which was the original product line up made by Charles Ro back in 1987. This series is not exactly the most realistic one USA Trains makes, but you don’t have to worry about buying 20ft diameter curves to run any of this series on. On this series the detail parts such as grab irons and steps come in a kit bag and you install them. This series also comes with plastic wheels to further reduce costs.

Here is a list of American Series rolling stock that was made:

  1. Woodside Box car
  2. Woodside Reefer Car
  3. Simulated Steel Box car not to confused with the Ultimate series 40ft box car
  4. Two Tier Auto Carrier
  5. All Work Series Rolling Stock
  6. Ore Car
  7. Piggy Back Flat Car
  8. Pipe Load Flat Car
  9. Woodside Caboose
  10. Center Beam Flat Car

The center beam flat car and piggy back flat car are no where near the correct size for the scale ratio, but USA Trains captures enough in the model for people to buy and you don’t need 20ft diameter curves to run a full size center beam flat car in G scale.
There is no American Series locomotives at this time.

#2 The Ultimate Series: “As Real AS It Gets” was USA Trains motto when they introduced this new exciting series of more modern type rolling stock which is all 1:29 scale ratio. This is the most realistic series of rolling stock that USA Trains offers. I’m not saying they have the correct amount of rivets or brakes or exact measurements for their scale, so please no 100 responses about this is not correct or that is not correct for this road name. I’m just saying the Ultimate Series is USA Trains most realistic line up, as well as very detailed line up. There are a lot of fragile detail parts on this series also. Here is a list of Ultimate Series rolling stock that USA Trains makes. This series of rolling stock already has the detail parts already installed. This series also comes standard with a nice upgrade set of metal wheels.

  1. Extruded Aluminum Passenger Car
  2. Center Cupola Caboose
  3. Bay Window Caboose
  4. Extended Vision Caboose
  5. 55ft 4 Bay ACF Hopper Car
  6. 55ft Modern Tank Car
  7. Depressed Center Flat Car
  8. Intermodal Container Car
  9. 40ft Box Car
  10. 50FT Box Car
  11. 40FT Reefer Car
  12. 50FT Mechanical Reefer Car
  13. 70 Ton 3 Bay Hopper Car
  14. 10,000 Gallon Tank Carr
  15. Woodchip Hopper Car
  16. Intermodal 5 Unit Articulated set

Locomotives

  1. Dockside 0-6-0T Switcher
  2. SD70-MAC
  3. PA1 / PB1
  4. SD40-2
  5. GP-30
  6. GP38-2
  7. GP-7 / GP-9
  8. F3A / F3B
  9. S-4 Switcher
  10. NW-2 Switcher
  11. 44 Tonner Switcher
  12. Speeder

#3) The Prestige Series: This is USA Trains newest series and is also a 1:29 scale ratio. What makes this series different is that it’s made mainly from die-cast metal and has a lot of metal detail parts making this series the Cadillac of USA Trains. This wonderful series only has locomotives in it and includes sound.

Here is a list of Prestige Series Locomotives

  1. GG1 Locomotive
  2. J1E Hudson
  3. Big Boy Steam Locomotive
#17

Here’s a mixture of LGB, USA, and Delton. Cars look to be close in size. Remember the prototype reefers were various sizes, so as Don says, size doesn’t matter. It’s what you do with the cars that matters. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

http://forums.mylargescale.com/21-rolling-stock/18468-post-your-bill-board-car-pictures-here-4.html

#18

Do they represent 30’ cars? 27’ or 32’?
Measure the length and use the scale calculator.
A 30’ car in 1/24 (1/2"= 1’) would be 15" long.
As to width and height, who knows if LGB/USA kept those in the same scale as the length.

#19

OK Fred - Here ya go. Probably more information than anyone wants. In the background a Delton box car, in the middle a USA Wood Reefer and in the foreground a Delton reefer…

Same three, end view…

Length measurements…

The Delton reefer walkways are 400mm end to end…

And the USA walkways are 384mm end to end…

Width measurements.

Delton is about 4.125" wide at the roof eves. Sorry about the change of units; I should have flipped the small ruler over…

And the USA about 4.375" at the roof eves…

Height above the rail head on the Delton is about 5.5" at the roof walk…

And the USA about 5.75 above the rail head at the roof walk…

So what does this mean? The USA is shorter, but slightly taller and wider than the 1:24 Delton car. If the USA was 1:22 it should be larger in all dimensions, not just height and width. My guess; they are both approximately 1:24 but modeled from different prototypes. YMMV.

#20

Right on, Jon.

To scale the car, you need to know the exact size of the prototype.

Those cars can be any scale Fred wants them to be. Calling them 30ft puts them close to 1/24 as to length. Height inside was usually 7 to 8 ft.

width varied according to they type of car.

#21

Seems like the height/width of the prototype cars could vary all over the place.

Seems like you would want to measure something that was pretty much standardized, or easily researchable, like the width of the boards that comprise the body, and go by that.

#22

I have a collection of the USAT billboard reefers. If I squint just right, they measure out to 36 ft in 1:29. I run them with my standard gauge stuff, and am quite satisfied.

You forgot to add in the Bachmann reefers in the same “scale.”

#23

Steve Featherkile said:

I have a collection of the USAT billboard reefers. If I squint just right, they measure out to 36 ft in 1:29. I run them with my standard gauge stuff, and am quite satisfied.

You forgot to add in the Bachmann reefers in the same “scale.”

And I have 1:24 Delton box cars that I converted to body mount Accucraft couplers and run them as “early” cars in my 1:20 trains. At one time I was going to change out the grab irons and stirrup steps, but they are so close it’s not worth the effort as I forgot how to count rivets years ago. This was my inspiration…

#24

I just bought my very first Delton car today on Ebay - a Stroh’s beer reefer. It should look OK with the rest of my USA Trains and LGB reefers, eh? Supposedly Delton rolling stock is 1:24 scale.

#25

Steve Featherkile said:

I have a collection of the USAT billboard reefers. If I squint just right, they measure out to 36 ft in 1:29. I run them with my standard gauge stuff, and am quite satisfied.

So I came to this board today thinking my USAT billboard reefers are 1:29. Then after more investigation and posts by others on this thread, I’ve found that they’re actually 1:24. Which is it? I’m thinking that “EMD Trainmans” analysis above is correct, but…

#26

And yet another good link that I’d saved previously showing reefers from various manufacturers:

https://www.gscalecentral.net/threads/lgb-vs-usa-reefers.301601/

#27

Daktah John said:

@Rooster - Yeah, it’s a hobby and you are free not to obsess on scale. I think the information Fred is seeking is interesting from a historical perspective of the development of Large Scale.

Ok …fair enough

#28

Yea Michael , the Delton reefers are about the same size.

Delton Tiffany with a K-line (bachmann knock off) Heinz.

#29

Michael Kirrene said:

Steve Featherkile said:

I have a collection of the USAT billboard reefers. If I squint just right, they measure out to 36 ft in 1:29. I run them with my standard gauge stuff, and am quite satisfied.

So I came to this board today thinking my USAT billboard reefers are 1:29. Then after more investigation and posts by others on this thread, I’ve found that they’re actually 1:24. Which is it? I’m thinking that “EMD Trainmans” analysis above is correct, but…

Michael, those billboard reefers from various manufacturers are definitelyNOT 1:29. The rungs on the ladders are just too big and far apart, that’s why I have to squint.

Serendipitously, they measure out to 36 feet long in 1:29. 36 ft billboard reefers where common along the standard gauge mainline in the 1920’s and early 1930’s.

#30

Steve Featherkile said:

Michael Kirrene said:

Steve Featherkile said:

Michael, those billboard reefers from various manufacturers are definitelyNOT 1:29. Serendipitously, they measure out to 36 feet long in 1:29. 36 ft billboard reefers where common along the standard gauge mainline in the 1920’s and early 1930’s.

Thanks for clarifying, Steve. Yeah, I was referring specifically to the USAT wood-sided Billboard reefers.

#31

Michael, I have a few of them, and even though the LGB Mogul is supposedly 1:22.5, and the reefers are 1:24, more or less, I think they make a good looking train together.

Bringing up the markers is my Heartland 1:24 caboose.

#32

That’s a fine looking train, David.

#33

Sure is, David!

I have an LGB 2019S and a 2028D - one of which will be used to pull my USAT/LGB reefers. Was going to pull them with my upcoming USAT GP9 acquisition, but it wouldn’t be prototypical would it? The reefers were made for Narrow Gauge in the 20’s and 30’s and EMD didn’t start making the GP9 until 1954. I suppose though, that in 1954, there were still some wood-sided reefers being used on the railroads.

#34

Billboard reefers were made illegal in 1934 by the ICC.

From the Wiki… 1934: The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) regulation #201 came into effect banning billboard advertisements on freight cars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator_car

But who cares, I love them.

#35

And regular reefer became regulated in 1906 by the Pure Food & Drug act, and made illegal by the 1932 version of the Uniform State Narcotic Act.