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Bachmann HO Schnabel car
I sure wish there was an N Scale model of the Schanbel car.
Beware of tunnel portals & through truss bridges on curves. On our club display with (nominally) 42" radii, the Schnabel won’t fit with the load attached. Other than that, it’s a great model. I have a couple of other Schnabels (2-2-3+3-2-2 & a 3-2-2-3+3-2-2-3) and this one is bigger (longer) by far. Loads of fun - there are special movement rules w/ clearance & speed limits.
It is a great looking car and would make a good addtion to most any medium size to large size layout with 22 degree curves and number 6 or 8 switches.
Cute little car. In the September 2012 issue of Progressive Railroading magazine,Kasgro Rail has an ad for their new Schnabel car. ““Worlds largest railroad car.” The 231-foot, 36-axle car rises 18 feet above the top of the rail and has a load limit of more than 1,000 tons”. I guess this makes it larger than the Bachmann car. Maybe someone can kitbash the Bachmann car to make the larger U.S. prototype.
Wow! A lot of us have been waiting a long time for this car.
ooOOOOoo
THIS IS NOT THE SCHNABEL CAR WE USED AT WESTINGHOUSE TRANSFORMER PLANT IN MUNCIE INDIANA AS I HAVE LOADED A LARGE NUMBER OF THE WESTINGHOUSE CAR, I HAVE SEEN THIS MODEL AT HOBBY TOWN USA IN INDIANAPOLIS, I BELIEVE THIS IS A REALLY WELL BUILT MODEL, EVEN THO I CAN NOT AFORE IT.
Based on my copyrighted plans that were published in Scale Rails Magazine several years ago??- and if that be the case without my permission.
I just received one of these cars and have run it on our club layout that has 22" min. radii curves. It ran flawlessly with no derailment problems. It does have a lot of overhang on the curves so we had to be careful when meeting on coming trains. The detailing of the car is excellant but it takes a lot of patience putting it on the track. I am very please and satisfied with my purchase. Ron (Everett, Wa.)
A big question would be the ease of mounting Kadee metal couplers. Plastic couplers stink!
I know it doesn’t represent the era that I model in, but I just had to have one of these. Quite a piece of machinery. I put it up there with all the steam equipment the railroads of the past manufactured and used.
It’s big and will look OK sitting a shelf or siding, but on most layouts it will be too big to look good on curves under 36 inch radius. Many car of this size and class have support cars, ie. repurposed cabooses or coaches that carry technicians to operate the shifting mechanisms when going through tight curves and close tolerance areas. Thus with its support cars it becomes quite an interesting movement.