Model Railroading > Opinions on Shortened Modern Freight Cars.

The Intermountian thread below has me considering what kind of market would be available for shortened versions of the longer modern freight cars. Like Athearn did with the sixty foot passenger cars. 

I've  made a decision not to buy any more cars over sixtyish feet because their just to big for my room sized early nineties era layout with thirty inch curves. But I can't be in the minority here and I wonder if sixtyish foot auto rack foobies made to look half way decent could have a market along side their full size brothers.

Your thoughts?

Chris

Not for me. The more accurate the better.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

I recall Allen McClelland didn't like the way Walthers auto racks looked on his 30" curves, so he cut one down by a panel to improve how it appeared.

I prefer scale models. Shortened rolling stick looks wrong to me.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/20 01:27 by SPDRGWfan.

At today's prices, cars should be correct any way you measure them. 

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I recall John Allen didn't like the way Walthers
> auto racks looked on his 30" curves, so he cut one
> down by a panel to improve how it appeared.
>
> I prefer scale models. Shortened rolling stick
> looks wrong to me.
>
> Posted from Android
I seem to recall Allan McLelland did the same thing to his AutoRacks on his original V&O.
Regards,dK

Well, there were the shorter hi-cube box cars.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

Unless you are in a club with nice, big curves, or you are just displaying these models, I don't know who can successfully utilize these 80'+ racks, piggyback, box and passenger cars. Even 30" radius can be tough for many athome modelers.

TJY

I'm cheating on an HO, bedroom-size layout I'm drawing up. The focus is on a shortline and time period in the early 50s. However, there is a steam class one on the outside of the layout that interchanges with the shortline at a working interlocking with another steam road. On the steam road I'm using COMPOUND CURVES. Not much of the steam road is visible with mostly staging, but on the visible curves I'm using 42 in. R with a small easements but the rest of the 90 degree curve out of view is squashed down to the minimum 24 in. R. The only long cars on the steam road will be full length heavyweight passenger cars that will look much better with the 42 in. R. 

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/20 19:58 by wabash2800.

Totally wack idea to cut down full size freight and passenger cars.

SantaFeRuss

SantaFeRuss Wrote:
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> Totally wack idea to cut down full size freight
> and passenger cars.
>
> SantaFeRuss

I've got no problem with this way of thinking. However, Athearn sold how many thousands of the shorty passenger cars. Couldn't  both scale and short versions be made available to fit a modelers needs?

Back in the day that was all we had for passenger cars and we learned to live with it...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Shortened passenger cars sell extremely well at my shop.    I wish I had more.     A shortened freight car however is a different story.   Usually customers are more picky with freight cars, and are looking for prototypical appearance.    

Jason Eminian
Smith Brothers Hobby Center
 

ChrisCampi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've got no problem with this way of thinking.
> However, Athearn sold how many thousands of the
> shorty passenger cars. Couldn't  both scale and
> short versions be made available to fit a modelers
> needs?

The rub will be convincing manufacturers to make the models you are wishing for. Probably isn't going to happen in HO. You may get much faster results doing what Allen McClelland did with his Walthers auto rack and get out the razor saw.

Posted from Android

I seem to remember in addition to Athearn we had shorty passenger cars from Herkimer OK and American Beauty Lines that were metal and hard to add grabs, etc. to.  If they were so great, why aren't they around anymore?  We've become addicted to prototype accuracy and having everything ready  to run so few guys want them today.  As for freight cars, fergettaboutit!! 

Well, a few threads down, Intermountain proclaimed:

"The recent shipment of the HO Auto Racks sold out in record time!"

While there might be some demand for shortened modern freight cars, they don't seem to be having any problem selling the full scale freight cars they produce. This is the same arguement I get for why they don't produce kits anymore.

 

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL

Arved Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, a few threads down, Intermountain
> proclaimed:
>
> "The recent shipment of the HO Auto Racks sold out
> in record time!"


This might mean something except we don't know how many there were to actually sell out.



>
> While there might be some demand for shortened
> modern freight cars, they don't seem to be having
> any problem selling the full scale freight cars
> they produce. This is the same arguement I get for
> why they don't produce kits anymore.


This is a great arguement considering their not the only company making them. But do we know if there is or isn't a market for shorty cars also?
 

Stubby/shortened HO scale models... I wouldn't buy them. Then again, I have the oportunity to run trains on a large(r) club layouts with mainline curves between 40-50".

Mr. MRL ~ That's just (like) my opinion, man...

The length of modern freight cars is but one reason among many that my modeling stays in the 1950s.

Art House

I agree Art.  I have mainline curves of 32" and I don't even like the look of 50 ft cars on it.  So all my stuff is 40, 36,  or 38 ft cars.

The hobby involves compromises - some tolerate them more than others.  I am building a layout with curves ranging from 32 to 40 inches but still plan to include passenger trains and some long 85 and 89' cars.  I realize they won't look as nice as on 40+ inch curves.  Only alternative is to switch to N scale.