Model Railroading > Brass Pass cars

How many of you TO members pull HO scale brass pass cars?(85ft)

How many are you able to pull, either by steam or diesel?

I'm just curious since I plan on buying a set of 8.

My layout is level and I have several brass engines and various diesel engines.

Your comments would be appreciated.

Hal

I pull brass cars and luckily they are a match for the Genesis F units.  No worries there.

Rick

I rarely had good luck with brass passenger cars because of shorts. Before I run a brass car I will replace the trucks with Walthers or Rapido. This does often require modifications, but, it eliminates issues with shorts and derailments. This is espically true of older brass cars. I often replace the underframe and rebuild with more accurate underbody appliances.

I have an Overland Amtrak California set HO (5) cars and my engines have a hell of a time pulling it and level track I had to add bullfrog snot to several of the wheels which helped. Another issue I have is the diaphragms are brass my layout has 36" curves and I still had an issue until I added longer shank couplers.

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I have a couple of older Soho and Roanoke Rails N&W passenger cars that I am going to be modifying for a modern NS Business train, to go along with my OMI 'NS Delaware' car. I plan on replacing the trucks on the Soho and RR cars if they don't roll well and cause shorts.

Regards,
Russ 

The weight of brass cars can put a strain on locomotives, but on flat track and with five cars I don't have a problem on my layout.  Climbing is a different matter which can limit the number of cars or require an added engine.
In general, I find brass cars do not roll as well as plastic models.  Weight is likely part of the issue.  Lubrication, replacing wheels, modifying trucks or even replacing them does help. 
It seems for the price of a brass model, it should run/roll better.  For on track performance, my vote goes to today's good quality plastic models. 

Gerry

7-8 with a Athearn SDP45, with an additional unit, double that number.. not much of a grade

Most older brass passenger cars have very poor rolling trucks.  Replacing them with good plastic trucks is a must if you have grades.

 I agree as bought several, ON3, while building up my stock for retirement then to find out how bad they were. I replaced the couplers with San Juan brand couplers along with there trucks and no problems at all. By the way my gauge is ON30 using MMI K and C series engines, when they run.
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> Most older brass passenger cars have very poor
> rolling trucks.  Replacing them with good plastic
> trucks is a must if you have grades.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Most older brass passenger cars have very poor
> rolling trucks.  Replacing them with good plastic
> trucks is a must if you have grades.

I have several brass cars, I replaced the trucks with Central Valley's and the hard pulling cars went away. They are very free rolling cars now.

They can run very well, but will often need modification.  I normally run a 10 car North Coast Limited up a 2 1/2% grade.  The cars are a mix of Oriental and other brass cars.   I normally will do the following:

1.  Change out the trucks on the older models.   I've used Coach Yard trucks with much better detail.

2.  Where possible, replace wheels with 36" Overland Roller Bearing wheel sets.  These run much, much better.  One set will have a 10K resister across the insulated wheel for signal indication. 

3.  Often remove diaphragms where they interfere with other cars causing derailments.

4.  Reduce spring tension on the centering spring on the kingpin to allow easier turning.  Trim a turn or two of the spring away.  

5.  If I'm running steam, double head!

6.  My normal locomotive consist is 3-4 Athearn F units, at least one with Tsunami sound. They do just fine.

7.  I also run a Burlington 3 - 4 car local.  One Broadway Limited E unit with sound works fine.  

Quite a string on that grade power is about what the full scale would use. Must be a nice looking train too.

I have pulled a 12 car set. On level track all is well but helpers are required for 2 percemt grades. 

Javier Cervantes
Castle Rock , CO

Would think that if on the head end should pass muster and no matter must be a nice consist to see run. Am up in the middle of no where so hard to just drive a short distance to visit a model railroad as few if any other than me have any withing 60 plus miles. Do have Train Mountain two miles away where I have my equipment and run. Still having mine at home to work towards completion one day gives me something. Boyd