Large Scale Central

Need dimensions

General Discussion
#1

I want to get to get a few box cars to add to my collection. I am debating on HLW or the Aristo 20 inch 2 axels. I know HLW is 1:24 scale and the Aristo is 1:29. The Aristo box car is 10 inches long. I need to know what the length and height is of the HLW and the Height of the aristo. If anyone has them can you measure or better yet a comparison picture would work as well. I like the aristo because of the 2 axle style but not sure if it will look small when running with the Bachmann or my other HLW stuff.

What is the history behind the 2 axles boxcars? Everything I ever looked at narrow gauge wise, I never seen a photo of a 2 axle box car being used. I love they way the look being shorter and higher.

#2

The Aristos are freelanced best I can tell, maybe intended to be based on the very earliest rolling stock of the D&RG, which didnt last very long. Personally I dont like them, the body mounted couplers coupled with the spring loaded axles tend to derail easly on R1s. The one boxcar I have I added trucks to it. HLW is always good, if a little small, also I like Bachmanns 20’ cars, they are very good for a small struggling RR.

#3

This took a while but here it is.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:40and8s_style_boxcar.JPG)

Very interesting history on this in wikipedia

#4

Don -

Since there isn’t a description of that car’s origin, I need to ask. Was this a car used on European railroads by the US Army during / after WW-II ? I would assume so because of the Euro look and the buffers.

#5

The ones I found pictures of are based on WW I european stuff.
I am sure there are more pictures of narrow guage stuff out there, maybe on the Denver Public Library

#6

Based on what I read, it was a ‘40-8’ so held 8 horses or 40 men. Several other pictures but most led to halocaust sites, which I really have seen enough of. There were british versions as well, but the military museum picture was about the best view I found.
I am sure that there were some on the narrow guage railroads in maybe 1860’s or right after but the denver library site has changed.
Although not the best source, some of the (my Favorite) John Wayne movies had locomotives and breif glimpses of rolling stock. In ‘Mclintock’ there is a pretty nice shot of a single axle flat and boxcar, but it is of course very breif, and hollywood is hollywood, so like our railroads, anything is possible.
I spent a bit of time after work surfing for a better picture, but the WWW is too W for very much of my time…

#7
Jon Radder said:
Don -

Since there isn’t a description of that car’s origin, I need to ask. Was this a car used on European railroads by the US Army during / after WW-II ? I would assume so because of the Euro look and the buffers.


Jon - this is one of 49 French ‘40 and 8 box cars’ sent to the USA by the French authorities after WW2. It is standard gauge, NOT narrow gauge.

In 1949, France sent 49 of those boxcars to the United States(one for each State then in existence and one for Washington DC and Hawaii to share) laden with various treasures, as a gift for the liberation of France. This train was called the Merci Train, and was sent in response to trains full (over 700 boxcars) of supplies known as the American Friendship Train sent by the American people to France in 1947.

No continental box cars can be used on British tracks because although the rail gauge is the same, the loading gauge on the continent [the Bern loading gauge] is substantially larger that ours here in yUK. Even by comparison with your Maine two-footers, our 2 foot narrow gauge stuff is positively minute.

Hope this helps.

tac
www.ovgrs.org

#8

http://www.mercitrain.org/

#9

I was researching the 2 axle box cars and it seems they were used for a very short period on American RR. Mainly mid 1800’s.

#10

Thanks for the education Terry :smiley:

#11
Jon Radder said:
Thanks for the education Terry :D
Apologies, Jon, I didn't mean it to sound like I was educating you. :(

tac
www.ovgrs.org

#12

It was a sincere thank you. I learned something new. That’s a good thing ! No apology needed.

#13

It seems the 2 axle trucks were in use as early as 1838, so the likelyhood of freight not using the same past that time is just not there, but that doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen. I found the below about the passenger B&O cars:

First Cars
'In 1830, Richard Imlay, a Baltimore carriage maker, adapted his mail coach design for use with sets of wheels provided by the B&O. His first passenger car was named the Pioneer. A local newspaper review mentioned rooftop seats. The 15 foot car had 2 trucks (axles), seated 15 and weighed 2 tons. In 1833, the B&O installed reversible seat backs, so passengers would not have to ride backwards at such great speeds. By 1838, the double-truck (4 axle) passenger car was standard on all US railroads. ’

There were probably instances of 2 axle cars being used, but more digging has not supported any such thing.
Perhaps owners of books that have 1840-1860 Western railroad data could chime in.

#14
Don Pearson said:
It seems the 2 axle trucks were in use as early as 1838, so the likelyhood of freight not using the same past that time is just not there, but that doesn't mean that it didn't happen. I found the below about the passenger B&O cars:

First Cars
'In 1830, Richard Imlay, a Baltimore carriage maker, adapted his mail coach design for use with sets of wheels provided by the B&O. His first passenger car was named the Pioneer. A local newspaper review mentioned rooftop seats. The 15 foot car had 2 trucks (axles), seated 15 and weighed 2 tons. In 1833, the B&O installed reversible seat backs, so passengers would not have to ride backwards at such great speeds. By 1838, the double-truck (4 axle) passenger car was standard on all US railroads. ’

There were probably instances of 2 axle cars being used, but more digging has not supported any such thing.
Perhaps owners of books that have 1840-1860 Western railroad data could chime in.


Ill have to find the site I got information from. It seemed the main reason why they did not last was weight. 2 axle did not hold as much weight. Not many RR’s had them and the ones that did was for a short period. That same article also mentioned about them coming back I believe 1950’s or so but I think it was the military.
Heres the site I found http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/railwhales/a-axles.htm

#15

This was one I read as well. from that site:

“At the beginning of the Railway Age in the United States, most railroad cars rode on two axles; but by the middle of the Nineteenth Century, most new cars rode on two 4-wheel trucks, and this has remained the standard freight car configuration for over 150 years.”
That was about all it mentioned.
I also saw a comment about some flat cars in the late 50’s-early 60’s but the ones who mentioned them stated they were responsible for every derailment that occured while they were in use, and they just didn’t like going over frogs at all. Eastern railroads somewhere. I sluffed it off as I have only seen steam in use on your line.

#16
Don Pearson said:
This was one I read as well. from that site:

“At the beginning of the Railway Age in the United States, most railroad cars rode on two axles; but by the middle of the Nineteenth Century, most new cars rode on two 4-wheel trucks, and this has remained the standard freight car configuration for over 150 years.”
That was about all it mentioned.
I also saw a comment about some flat cars in the late 50’s-early 60’s but the ones who mentioned them stated they were responsible for every derailment that occured while they were in use, and they just didn’t like going over frogs at all. Eastern railroads somewhere. I sluffed it off as I have only seen steam in use on your line.


I guess I wiill stick with the the HLW or Bachmann. Does anyone know what the difference is between the Bachmann Big Hauler box car and the 20inch bachmann Box car. From pictures it looks shorter then the Big Hauler and a tad higher. Also is the 20inch bachmann box 1:20 scale and how accurate.

#17

If I’m not mistaken…and I might be…its a 1:20.3 model of a 20 foot long car, rather short…The Big Hauler cars are 1:22.5 more or less based on an ET&WNC prototype, don;t have either so really couldn;t tell ya anymore than that…

#18
Bart Salmons said:
If I'm not mistaken.....and I might be.......its a 1:20.3 model of a 20 foot long car, rather short.......The Big Hauler cars are 1:22.5 more or less based on an ET&WNC prototype, don;t have either so really couldn;t tell ya anymore than that....
I thought the scale was different for each. I wonder what the length of it is campared to the big hauler?
#19

The 20 footers are about the length of a Big Hauler tender. give me a few minutes to go down stairs and measure one.

#20

Railhead to roof peak is 5", from railhead to top of roofwalk is 5 1/4"
Body length is about 11 3/4, body width is 3 9/16"