Unfortunately, I lost the boxes for the three piece set of these and I don’t know what brand it is. I believe the old box said Roundhouse, but it seems to look more like the Model Power ones I Google.
Anyway, if anyone knows what brand it is, I would like to hunt around for more. I think they are supposed to be 60 foot (about 9 inches with the diaphrams I added) Harriman cars and they fit on my present layout better than the longer more modern passenger sets I have.
Where might there be more? Someone has a Model Power observation car on Ebay that looks quite similar.
First off, (Caution: Nitpick ahead) this should probably be in the Gen forums, but 've wound up in the wrong forum by mistake too.
I am reasonably sure it’s a rounhouse car. 1) I recognize the roof vents as ones I’ve put on mine, and 2) I don’t think Model Power made any Diners (What you have showing)
I am afraid I won’t be able to offer you any encouragement over those cars. I wish I could, even if it was to advise you of a fix for some of the problems associated with them, but I found them to be much more trouble than I was willing to address. I finally retired all three of them permanently.
I am fully aware that much of the experience could be related to my own skills, but I have Walthers and Rapido cars that are blessings compared to those Roundhouse Harrimans.
Oops I posted it by mistake in the layouts forum that I was browsing.
I am curious about the problems mentioned. I have just replaced the wheels with metal ones and put on knuckle couplers and diaphrams. I have had no problems yet.
They certainly were cheap when I bought them at an out of the way antique/curio shop. One was pre- built and the owner brought out the other two in kit form for $15 for the lot.
I found that the trucks don’t want to track well. I never did replace the wheelsets, but I found them to be free-rolling anyway. The cars are very light. I recall replacing several of the couplers, but they were sloppy in their boxes. I added weight to one car, maybe three ounces or more, and it behaved better, but I feared that I was just wearing out the truck bearings with all the weight.
When I had an opportunity to pick up three Walthers NYC sleepers from internethobbies for USD$19 each, I couldn’t pass it up. I haven’t looked back.
If you can get them to track well, good for you, and I hope you get good use out of them. Weather them a bit to get rid of the shine, particularly the roof, and maybe add some details like grabs…they will work nicely and photograph really well.
Roundhouse for sure. I just picked up a set of 6 of thsse coaches in kit form complete with an Express box car. Old stock buried away in the back of the hobby shop.
I was under the impresssion that Roundhouse would be re-releasing these as RTR in the near future.
Yeah, I always add weight up to the NMRA standards. These cars should be 5.25 oz and mine are 5.3. I have them out on the layout now that you mentioned your problems and am pleased so far. Cross my fingers.
I’m just glad to find some passenger cars that are so short. I didn’t realize there were such things, after buying a few modern ones and finding how much they need the large radii. Were these type of cars really in use in the real world…at 60 feet or so? Or were these models just made short to make them easy to use?
Yes, Harriman-style cars (UP and SP) had 60’ coaches, baggage cars, RPO/baggage and RPOs. However, the diners and observation cars were at the minimum 72’ long.
A quick trip to the CPR Historical site shows that CPR had quite a number of 57’ Colonist cars as well as 63’ Commissary cars. The time frame is around 1902 for these. These cars all had clerestory roofs.
The last batch of the Roundhouse RTR cars are VERY similar to these in appearance and size.
There are of course the last of the Rivarossi 60’ coaches which are sold in 4 cars sets. These sets come in just about every roadname but are becoming somewhat scarce. The sets come with a Kaydee clone mounted in a swivel pocket which allows it to take sharp radius corners. Nicely finished all in all.
These coaches run 18" radius curves with ease. They also have interiors and metal wheels. Great cars if you can find them. I have picked up a number of sets of these of e-bay, unfortunately the bidding will on most occasions run quite high.
These coaches are also currently offered by Hornby but only in a couple of road names, they are still hard to find.
I believe at least in recent years the Model Power ones come with interiors, the MDC cars didn’t. You can add interiors from Palace Car Co. which includes a heavy metal floor insert which adds weight to the car.
I know because I got a set of the CP cars and gave them to my grand-nephew for his MR (he’s into Canadian Pacific). Reason I REALLY know is that I got a set of Rio Grande Harrimans (yah, sure, LOL!) from Roundhouse and re-weighted them, gave them metal wheels (Intermountain), Kadee #5’s, and they are now my Yuba River Express (mail, baggage, combine and 2 coaches). They track well WITH some work. Has to do with interior flat weights over the trucks, adjusting the truck screws, adding diaphraghms (I used the Walthers) and when I get around to it, interiors and lighting using those nifty little Tomar battery slide switches and some 1.5 volt grain of rice bulbs.
But like I said, they need work to run well. When they do, which mine do now, they make up a really neat little train. I put them behind a little 4-6-0 and it’s a little charmer. At least IMO. Stops at every fishing hole along the Yuba River. We’re not really talking “express” here, gang. [:P]
Yes, they are Roundhouse - I have a set. I think there are six cars in total. I did a deal for them as they were grey paint and signed for the Seaboard. As it turned out they are out of my modeling era and so is the E8A in the mint Seaboard paint I have on the front end.
I’ve built a shelf above the “sky” that is the back-drop to my layout, layed and ballasted some track and this is where these weathered Harriman cars sit as a static display.
Well, at the risk of beating this one to death, I am still puzzled about the “not running well” knock on these.
Since people mentioned it, I have had them out running behind steamers, diesels, up and over my big hill with the sharp curves and across the yard ladders etc. etc. and have not noticed anything amiss. They stay coupled, don’t wobble, couple and uncouple, and stay on the track.
Maybe I just made all the right moves right at the beginning (which my wife always maintains I am good at [swg]).
These were new old stock. Maybe that made a difference. But with every car that arrives I tune up the axle points in the sideframes, swap in the metal wheels, add the proper weights over the trucks, Kadees at the right height. Like most modellers I keep drawers full of spare parts because I also bring in lots of pre-owned older stuff.
And in this case added diaphrams.
Now I know that they are so turn-of-the-century, I think I will pull them around with something like a decapod a la Petticoat Junction. Oh maybe not, I’ll have to check if CP had any…yep, they did.
UGH Why do they have to make them all painted ready to run instead of kits? It is so limiting plus the hassle of stripping the factory paint before repainting to get what I want. Whatever happened to UNDECORATED?
In my case, I have a Harriman baggage car and a coach. Other than adding metal wheels and a basic interior to the coach, I didn’t make any changes and haven’t had problems using the cars.
FWIW Mantua used to make a 4-6-0 based on Sierra RR #3, which was the 1893 engine used in “Petticoat Junction” (and many other movies and TV shows…“High Noon”, “Back to the Future 3” etc.).
I agree with wishing all the MDC and Athearn cars were still available as undec kits…plus, bad enough they’re RTR but they usually glue the roof on so you can’t get inside the passenger cars (and cabooses) to add interiors.
Sure Petticoat Junction used that 4-6-0, but I have only that decapod as age appropriate for the cars.
Now did you know that Dennis Hopper made an appearance as a young rebel on Petticoat Junction? He looks very uncomfortable and I bet he wishes he could have burned the prints. Just a few years later he was in Easy Rider.
I built 6 of them as ME&O and never had any trouble running 22 inch radius but have decided the only passenger trains on the NEW ME&O layout will be a Fan Fair 7 car Overland consist –
There are quite a few MDC/Roundhouse Harriman cars here. All were purchaced before Athearn took over MDC/Roundhouse and were all in kit form.
All had interiors added as well as extra weight to make the cars weigh 6 ounces. Baggage and RPO cars were easy but teh coaches and the Obs required a bit of engineering to add the weight and keep it hidden.
All the cars have Kadee couplers mounted to the frame of hte car and the wheelsets were replaced with Kadee 36 inch wheels. The cars run perfectly with no problems of any kind.
I did replace the plastic steps with steps from Bethlem Car Works baggage car steps for steps at the baggage doors and ladderstock steps for the cornor steps on baggage 7 RPO cars. All are painted in Espee paint of SP Olive with a black roof and Dulux Gold lettering.
