Large Scale Central

What scale are the passenger cars of all manufacturers

General Discussion
#1

Seeing as how we seem to be in doubt as to the actual scale of all passenger equipment in Large Scale; could we look at the actual fidelity to scale of all passenger equipment ?

The whole idea is not to bash any manufacturer, but to find what is compatible, in all the equipment available in Large Scale......primarily, I'm asking about the stuff commonly known as "Standard Gauge" in 1:29 scale.

Lets not confuse the question by comparing other stuff in 1:20.3, or 1:32, with the “Branded” 1:29 equipment.

The end result of this “Inquiry”, is to get an idea what existing equipment can be used together in a passenger operation, modeled after the real railroads, just before and just after the introduction of Amtrak.

PLEASE, PLEASE…DON"T bring freight equipment into this thread…that can be another interesting qustion later.

This is meant as a positive, and constructive approach to acquiring equipment for good, flexable, passenger operations, in Large Scale; 1:29.

#2

Fred,
Great question.

In the transition era, I have Aristo Streamliners. They seem to fit well with both the Pacific and FA/F3 locos. Although I don’t have any, I have seen a mixed consist of the streamliners and smoothside cars. It looked good, and is prototypical based on some pictures my father has from WWII trains he worked on.

I suspect the Aristo streamliners might look too short for the new E-8s, but won’t get to check that out until September. A question is how the Aristo Streamliners would look mixed with the MTH and USA transition era cars, as well as the new LGB passenger cars.

I hope this reply stayed close enough to your topic question.

JimC.

#3

Since my various passenger cars are boxed up and stuffed I am unable to measure them. Of the various cars available in 1:29, the USAT are the closest to scale with only minor variances from prototype size. They set the standard for the rest of my passenger consists.

Aristo makes 2 different styles of passenger car, the streamliner which is a fluted side style car, and the smoothside. The streamliners are shortened versions of the prototype car, measuring approximately 63.5 scale feet car body length. The older versions sat too high but the problem was correctable. Aristo has just released new versions of this car at the correct height. In my opinion these cars make a decent looking train if run by themselves, but if run with USAT cars or the smoothsides the shortened carbodies become quite noticeable and in my opinion unacceptable. There is one exception to that and that is the baggage. There were a number of prototype baggage cars in use in the 60 to 70 foot range.

The Aristo smoothside as currently available has dimensions that are compatible with USAT cars with one exception…they sit way too high. This problem is correctable and Aristo has announced that cars lowered to the correct height will be come available soon.

MTH cars are 1:32 and are noticeably smaller than USAT cars and are not esthetically compatible.

To my knowledge there are no other 1:29 cars available. There are other 1:32 cars available but they are limited edition brass and expensive cars.

The passenger situation according to Warren :slight_smile:

#4

What scale are the passenger cars of all manufacturers?

Yes.

#5

All I know is that a USA Trains F7 A/B with full sound in both units, hauling with ten USA Trains shiny cars behind them and blowing smoke looks just GREAT…!

tac

#6

Terry, I didn’t want to get into the MTH cars as the question was specific to 1:29. They were only mentioned to make it clear that they are NOT 1:29.

Those cars you show are very nice. But the reality is that the average American cannot afford $600.00 cars. $200.00 is about the price break of affordability for most working Americans. I’ve seen the MTH cars and they are nice looking cars but as you state, they are shortened. To me they look like upscaled Athearn cars.

#7

I run AristoCraft Heavyweights behind steamers. The Aristo heavyweights, I understand, are modeled after a New Jersey commuter line, so they are 72 ft long rather than the more common 82 or 83 ft. Are they exactly 1:29 in all dimensions? Probably not, but they are close enough for “gummint work.”

Since it is the only game in town outside of custom or scratch built for heavyweights, it is acceptable for my use on the 1929-1947 Empire Builder.

I like the heavyweights better than the more modern lightweight streamliners because… je ne sais qua? Perhaps the ride is better, or they invoke a more civilized mode of travel.

#8
Warren Mumpower said:
I've seen the MTH cars and they are nice looking cars but as you state, they are shortened. To me they look like upscaled Athearn cars.
Yo Warren, if'n hardly anybody can afford them, why is Alan's order book full until 2009? And not for single cars, but nine and ten-car sets?

Looks like I’m going to be long dead before I can get my paws on any cars to go behind my Accucraft Hudson… : (

Anyhow, in the interests of maintaining the coherence of the thread I have removed most of my previous driv- post.

tac

#9

How many sets can he make in 2 years? 20…maybe 50?? That’s hardly a bump in the 300 million population of the US. It’s not even a pimple of a bump in the 100,000 or so (guestimate) large scalers in the US. Terry, average Americans just don’t have all the disposable income that the rest of the world imagines we have. Truth be known about the average working class American is if he had to cash out his assets to pay off his debts he would wind up in the hole. [color=red]America[/color] is written in red ink. Needless to say many modelers have been modelers most of their life and have acquired their collections over a rather long period of time. They sell their older collections (or parts of it) to pay for the move up in scale.

Live steam isn’t as popular here in the US as it is in GB. It’s too expensive for most. In fact, I don’t know of anyone in the Spokane area that has live steam (in the Garden Scales)…and only a couple that model live steam in the ride-on scales. Many in the ride-on scales buy their locomotives in bits and pieces and take years to build them.

Also to put things in it’s proper perspective, once I’m completed with my 7 1/2" gauge layout, including track, locomotive, riding car and caboose, I will most likely have less invested in it than what you have in your one Garrett. My calculations are that I will have in it about what one would pay at the US discount price for a USAT Big Boy.

#10
Warren Mumpower said:
Terry, average Americans just don't have all the disposable income that the rest of the world imagines we have.
sorry i spoke. i'll go back in my box now, daddy.

funny you should mention the ride-on trains and how folks build them - that’s exactly the same way we do it here.

just can’t get my head around how rich all you poor folks seem to be to us, that’s all…

guess i’m about to get thrown off another forum, eh?

ah, well…

tac

#11

Not here.
There is a list of ones “close”, but it’s titled with a “V”, if I recall.

If I hadn’t been able to do this with recycled materials, and even at the time, less expensive aluminum track, delete clamps and power supplies, wiring and track cleaners, and gone radio battery (no sound back then…I still prefer to run “stealth mode”) I wouldn’t be doing this today.

Rich?

If only you knew.

Been driving the same car for 38 years, same pickup for 18, living in the same house for 30.

If I had to pay the housing prices they want today, I’d be in a condo.

They are now taxing me for well over ten times what I paid for it.

I also look for used equipment, used to buy all I could find, parted with what I didn’t need, kept and modified what I wanted.

Sometimes a real “deal” falls in your lap.

Like an ex-LGB/ASTER Frank S., new in the box, baggies still on the fuel nozzle, for $600.
Or, an ASTER C&S Mogul the owner had burned his pinkies on for the past time…or a basket case Magnus K-27.

The stuff is out there, you just need to keep your eyes open.

#12

:lol: Terry, you’re not going anywhere…unless it’s outside to play trains with the rest of us. It’s just that there are a lot of us that get resourceful when it comes to model railroading. It’s that, or give up trains. American model railroaders do share one thing in common with all other model railroaders…we’re passionate about our trains…:smiley: …and I still want to meet you some day when you are passing through.

#13
Curmudgeon said:
Rich?

If only you knew.


TOC,
I recently helped my brother find a home in the Seattle area. (Finally settled way down in Maple Valley–He works in Kirkland) Couldn’t find a home that suited him (that wasn’t a fixer-upper) for under $500,000 in your town! And I know your house ain’t a fixer-upper!

You may not be rich in the cash sense, but you are sitting on a 30 year old goldmine! :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

TOG

#14

The problem is the gold is next to worthless, unless you can mine it and sell it…:confused: I think a lot of us have the problem of being asset rich and cash poor.