Open Auto Racks Nov. issue

[Track_Fiddler]

I’d think an 18" radius curve would do N scale auto racks reasonably well. My planned layout will have minimum 32 inch radius and while racks should operate well enough, those are still pretty sharp curves for long cars in HO but it’s the best I can manage. I will have some large curves as well but not enough to really improve appearance by much.

Well that sounds somewhat encouraging Rio. A 32 inch radius in HO-scale converts to 17.4 inches in N-Scale.

Still neither one of us knows how it would look. I am just going on (here say) from comments on other threads that it won’t look good. Maybe one of the other forum members that knows, can shed some light on the subject… that would be appreciated.

Thanks Track Fiddler

[NHTX]

Those with an interest in automobile traffic by rail may find a wealth of information on the subject in the November 2013 issue of “Trains” magazine. There are nearly 30 pages devoted to the interaction between the automobile and railroad industries including a map of North American assembly plants. The back issue of “Trains” might be available from Kalmbach Publishing.

[PC101]

TF. The thieves did not steal whole cars . They stole parts off of the cars. In the process, they did damage to them. For example, they might break a window to get in the car to steal the radio. also, they could open the hood and take parts off of the engine. Mostly, the parts were small enough to carry away.

If you take notice in photos of open racks most vehicles have no hubcaps, dealer installed item. So you would need to paint the steel wheels/rims black or body color.

[Track_Fiddler]

That’s funny 101, I never thought of hubcaps. I’m missing one of my original 1969 Mustang hubcaps because someone stole it in a parking lot at Southdale.

PS Obviously they only needed one because they didn’t take them all.

[angelob6660]

Heartland Division CB&Q

TF. The thieves did not steal whole cars . They stole parts off of the cars. In the process, they did damage to them. For example, they might break a window to get in the car to steal the radio. also, they could open the hood and take parts off of the engine. Mostly, the parts were small enough to carry away.

If you take notice in photos of open racks the vehicals have no hubcaps, dealer installed item. So you would need to paint the steel wheels/rims black or body color.

I never noticed that. I seen some photos of the tires and never questioned it.

I never understood the reason of stealing hubcaps.

[Track_Fiddler]

Stealing hubcap is very common. Notice the above statement was not a plural. Hubcap is stolen because someone has an older car and is missing one. The original is hard to come by. They can be found but takes some effort and costs more.

Someone mean always takes one from someone else that has, (had) all four of them.[:S]

[PC101]

I’d think that the hub caps may have been an easy damaged/lost item more then stolen from vehicles on the open Auto racks.

[PC101]

This November edition is a very good month for me, 7 pages of Autoracks, the two featured layouts are superb ‘The Clinchfield up side down’ and ‘Ride along on a mine run’ both using Lentz DCC systems (the system I use). The ‘Product Review’ of the Walthers Jordan Spreader (one sharp piece of equipment) going to be lettered for the PC. Hey that guy using the Dozer with the scoop moving those peskie wood savings off the right of way could really use one of these. Remember, the right tool for the right job does wonders. Model railroading is fun!® (just in case if it’s a trademark).

HD CB&Q, I know you say you lost the photos (that sad) but any chance the negatives could be stuck in a shoebox/closet and forgotten? Thanks for what survived.

[mlehman]

Just a data point here, YMMV, but I’ve had good luck running Accurail autoracks on the 28" min R curves on my main. There’s no switching of such cars, they simply go from staging to staging over the line, so that helps.

A wider curve would look nicer, but the way the curves are arranged on my limited amount of standard gauge (you see them from the inside of the curves mostly) they don’t look bad, either.

Mine are all MT, but to tell the truth I always seems to remember seeing more MT racks than loaded.

[riogrande5761]

Yes, I’d think 28 inches should allow most auto racks to run reliably as long as the track is layed well. I think most have a lower miminum radius than 28, but as always, the closer you are to the minimum recommended, the less likely things are going to be happy happy joy joy.

And speaking of enclosed racks for the 1970’s and early 1980’s, that is something still sorely missing from the market in HO. AFAIK, all of the enclosed models in HO are 1980’s and later. The Walthers designs are really late 1980’s and later and IIRC, the IMRC nice but expensive bi-levels are early 1980’s and later. Nothing for 1970’s, am I correct?

[Heartland_Division_C]

Thanks, everybody for commenting.

PC101 … I wish I knew what I did with the rest of the pictures, but I doubt I have any remaining now. … If I find more I’ll put them in the thread in Prototype Information Section …

Those interested may look at the thread in Protoype Information sections. I posted about another type of car for hauling vehicles which is a saddleback car for hauling truck tractors.