What would be the best size passenger cars for a layout with only 22 inch radius curves. My layout is set on a 4x8 ft table top, modeling a fictional interchange with the NYC and NH in the late 1940’s - late 50’s.
I would like to run some sort of passenger train but i’m nt sore what size.
if anyone can help thank you very much!
I would use 60 ft cars. While most 70 and 80 ft cars will work, the shorter cars will look better on a 4x8 layout.
Enjoy
Paul
Model the typical: a local passenger run or even a commuter hop.
A “typical” passenger train of the 1920-1960 period would consist of all heavyweight cars: an RPO for the mail contract, two to four baggage cars for the LCL traffic, and one or two short day coaches. (mail and LCL was how most passenger trains made their money, since by the 1920s, most people travelled by car or bus).
The Walthers/Rivarossi 60 foot cars are good choices for the head end cars, since they reflect a more prototypically correct car length, especially for the East. The Coaches can be the more typical 70 foot cars, made by Branchline, Walthers and Athearn.
If you get up into the late 50’s, a Budd RDC (Rail Diesel Car) might be appropriate, especially since both the NYC and NH used them.
i do have one Budd RDC for NYC but for the late 40’s and early 50’s i would like to run a pulled train. with one locomotive.
right now for passenger cars all i have is one heavyweight NYC coach and a Pullman troop sleeper.
i don’t have anything for the New Haven but plan on getting something.
No offense but some need to do their homework. Everything Branchline makes are fuill 80’ length. Same is true for all but a couple Walthers headend cars. Athearn cars are all 70’ but not prototypes of anything particular since they are shorties. 60’ Rivaroosi cars are CNW prototypes so the coaches are not much good for other roads if you are trying to be somewhat prototypical.
Streamlined cars started in the late 30’ so all heavyweights would not be common by the 60’s except things like mail and commuter runs.
Yes “some” need to do their homework!! [swg]
Unlike streamlined cars, many heavyweights were less than 80’ length. RPO and Baggage cars were usually 60-70’ long, many coaches and combines were 70’ long. For example, Athearn’s RPO, Baggage and Coach cars are correct length (IIRC 63’, 67’ and 70’ respectively) for the ATSF prototypes they are modelled after.
You are correct Rivarossi/Walther’s 60’ coach and combine are models of CNW’s “Utility Coach” and “Utility Combine”. However, although the 60’ RPO and Baggage cars appear to be based on CNW prototypes, they are very very close to RPO’s and Baggage cars used by a couple dozen other railroads in the period. HOWEVER…the models have body mounted couplers and will not go thru sharp curves!! My old layout had one section of 22" R curvature, and one of these cars at the head of a train caused a derailment everytime.
Truck mounted couplers are a key to operation on tight curves.
A doodlebug would fit the prototype branchline use & timeframe. But, what about the length? Would it be more than 60 scale feet?
No, the Branchline NYC heavyweight coach is 4’ shorter than their Pullmans.
I have an Roundhouse 4-4-0 and a set of 5 Overlands for those small curves. That is about all they can handle as well for me anyhow. The 4-4-0 is a bit of a brick but am working on it.
I keep a set of Rapido Cars (With two more still due soon) for my own road. My radius will be somewhat larger.
I keep a full Heavyweight train which is way too big for the 22" curves.
The Spectrum gas-electric is 80’ I believe, Walthers made one a few years ago that was more like 60’ long. You should be able to find one online or at a flea market etc.
Similarly, the Life-Like RDC’s are 80’ long, but the old Athearn ones are more like 60-65’.
For the late 1940’s - early 1950’s era the Athearn heavyweights would be the best choice. Coaches would have been modernized with air conditioning.
If you could go closer to New Jersey, you could use Erie Stillwell cars which run 70-feet and a first-gen diesel for 1955 to 1970. They would make it on 22" curves.
Or, to go even shorter, might I suggest a contrived concoction: a spiffied-up electric freight motor or first-gen box cab diesel pulling an old-time coach, RPO-baggage and refrigerator/milk car.
Ignatius
Really for a free-lancer, you’ve got a lot of options for that 40’s-50’s period. Streamlined cars had been around since the mid-thirties, so you could use Athearn corrugated or Con-Cor smooth-side streamlined cars, but heavyweights were still common too. Athearn would be a good choice for heavyweights, Rivarossi too (if you can find them). Just stay away from body mounted couplers like Walthers - they won’t work on 22" radius curves, even with the 60’ cars.
BTW at that time many trains had both types of cars - a heavyweight baggage and / or RPO up front, then maybe a heavyweight coach or combine as a smoker, rest of the cars streamlined. Or your free-lance road could use heavyweights, but include a run-through streamlined sleeper or two from a connecting major road like NYC or NH.
I have one of the Walthers-Riv 60 footers. Works fine around my 18" radius. [%-)]