18" radius passenger cars

[Geno]

What is available in passenger car sets that will run an 18" radius in a lighted car of reasonable quality and price?  (Manufacturer and source) I have an 18 and 22 radius oval and would like to run on both.  I'm not concerned with overhang as long as operation is reliable. I've looked on ebay and the net and can't seem to come up with much.

[jboot111]

i have 6 passenger cars and they handel fine on both types of turns
a little trouble in my tunnel but they fair well

[Pacific Northern]

I have purchased a number of the old Rivarossi 4 coach sets of their 60' passenger coaches. I have purchased these primarily off e-bay.  I have run these on 18" curves without any problems.

If you check Rivarossi has very similar if not exact coaches now, the come in unmarked, Pennsy and Chicago Great Northern . There are coaches and baggage cars only at the moment.

As luck would have it there is one set available now.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/HO-Rivarossi-Passenger-Car-Set-Northern-Pacific-600233-/220711014481?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item336366d051

These coaches have great detail, have interiors but are not lighted. There were lighting kits available for these which also show up on e-bay at times. Another lighting source would be Rapido which sells lighting kits.

If you check Con Cor you will find that they are about to release a number of shorter passenger kits that will run fine on 18" curves.

http://www.con-cor.com/094200BCS.html

I have preorded a couple of these sets.

[Doneldon]

Geno-

It depends -- do you want older style heavyweight trains or more modern, streamlined lightweight cars? For the older ones, many different companies made plastic-bodied cars with either zamac or plastic undercarriages. Their Talgo trucks were junk but they are easily replaced. Bowser, Penn Line and Mantua all come to mind but there are other manufacturers, too. You should be able to find them on ebay or other online used equipment sites.

For streamliners, you can find the "shortie" brass models made by Tenshodo for very reasonable prices on ebay. Or, OK, Penn Line and Mantua made extruded aluminum, corregated side cars which are very attractive, well made and inexpensive. I think that OK might still make these. Just be sure to get the short cars as they also made full-length 80-foot cars.

If you want to go really old, look for the open-ended plastic models made by several manufacturers or build your own from LaBelle's open- or closed-vestibule wooden kits.

In all cases, use quality trucks, body-mounted couplers and correct weight. I suggest LED lighting, maybe even battery powered with a tiny on-off switch underneath or a reed switch mounted under the roof which you can work with a magnet.
                                                                                            -- D

[ACY]

The Bachmann cars require 22" radius, the Rapido cars require 26" radius without trimming detail parts and using long shank couplers. The Life Like cars would work, but you can't back them up, they are lighted though.

[WoundedBear]

Check Roundhouse's line of old time cars....

The 50 foot Overlands.....

http://www.roundhousetrains.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=50'+Overland&CatID=THRP

And the 34 foot Overton's.....

http://www.roundhousetrains.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=Overton&CatID=THRP

Sid

[Geno]

I'm probably looking for a streamliner type car kind of like the Lionel or American Flyer cars of the 1950's in appearance.  Predominately silver with a stripe would look good. I have been watching ebay but nothing seems to come up.  I'm sure it will in time and a couple of shows are not too far in the future.  I will look there.  Any other ideas from anyone?

[ACY]

Just remember, passenger cars that are 89 feet long are not going to work with 18" radius curves.

[Doneldon]

Geno-

You're describing the aluminum extrusions. Search on ebay for OK, Mantua and Penn Line.

                                                                                          -- D                               

[OldTimer]

Athearn streamline cars ought to run on 18"R curves.  They're "shorties" (about 70') and have truck mounted couplers.  They're on e-Bay all the time.  They're "shake the box" kits and very easy to light.  The PRR cars are tuscan red; all the others are silver with a contrasting stripe.
OldTimer

[ACY]

Here is a picture of an Athearn kit car. Note that the center wheels were removed when I took the photo. Note also the brass strip that I used to light them. One drawback of lighting them is that it causes there to be some resistance to rolling with the center wheel. Also, after I installed lights, they would derail on 18" radius. So if you forgo the lights you can run them on 18" radius without any issues for sure. If you tinker a bit then you'll probably find a solution to run them with the lights on 18" radius.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Geno-

You're describing the aluminum extrusions. Search on ebay for OK, Mantua and Penn Line.

                                                                                          -- D                               

Also search under Tyco. I got a 4-car set of these, lettered for the Santa Fe, that were listed under Tyco. They were brand-new, never-used, 40-year-old cars, but they dated from the days when Tyco was Mantua's ready-to-run line, and they're great.

[Doneldon]

JBJ-

You're right. I forgot Tyco, even though I have a couple of the 80-foot Tycos.

ACY-

Easy-Peasey lights would work without adding any drag but it's probably foolish to spend twice as much on the lights as on the kits. I do have two reservations about the Athearn kits: First, they require serious additional weight and, second, IMHO, the Athearn trucks are total junk.

                                                                                        -- D

[uncbob]

Check Roundhouse's line of old time cars....

The 50 foot Overlands.....

http://www.roundhousetrains.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=50'+Overland&CatID=THRP

And the 34 foot Overton's.....

http://www.roundhousetrains.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=Overton&CatID=THRP

Sid

That is what I did on my 18/22 ovals --ran as a fanfare type consist
Now I have 22/24 ovals but still do the same with a 4-4-0 modern ----4-6-0----4-4-0 old timer

[Geno]

Thanks very much for all your replies.  I think the look I've settled on is the Tyco lighted cars from probably the 1960's.  I actually had a couple of these given to me by a friend but didn't know what they were.  Anyway I scored a set on ebay and I think they will be just perfect. I would think some company would reissue these and that they would sell to people who are beginners or not interested or able to build large radius layouts but want a passenger look.  Thanks again all!