how long is a bachmann d&rgw narrow gauge g coach and how long is a accrucraft one.
Don't know about the AccuCraft, but my Bachmann D&RG passenger coaches are exactly 19 inches from tip-to-tip of the observation platform on each end.
You can scale that up to whatever scale you consider these coaches to be.
Good luck!
Jay
Accucraft has the measurements on ther wesite L 27 1/2 inches, H 7 3/8 inches W 5 inches, Weight 6 lb. They are big cars, most likely need 8' curves.
Chuck
Hmmmm. Three Bachamnn coaches kitbashed into two longer cars, very doable and easy bash. Cheap too, coachs are going for $20 to $30 on Ebay.
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/combine18/passengercompare1.jpg)
Scaling up the coaches doesn't really work too well. You can make them longer easy enough, but that doesn't keep your passengers from banging their heads on the doors and roofs. Doors on typical narrow gauge coaches were around 6' high, maybe an inch or two less on really early cars. To properly size the Bachmann coach for 1:20.3, you're going to have to add between 1/4" to 1/2" in height to the carbody. The combine in the photo above is actually a bit smaller than the Accucraft coach--lower by around 1/4", and shorter by about 3" (real measurements, not scale)
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/combine18/passengercompare2.jpg)
In terms of width, technically speaking the Bachmann coach scales out well for an early (c. 1870s) coach that had 2-1 seating (double seats on one side of the aisle, single on the other). These were generally around 7' 4" wide give or take. When the car builders agreed that equipment could pass the 8' mark and still be stable, they had the room inside to go to 2-2 seating.
The Bachmann kit in this photo is one of two I bought for just such an "upsizing" project. I could never get things to look right without completely rebuilding everything but the floor and roof, so I abandoned the project and sold the kits.
If you're looking for coaches to run behind the K-27, you really owe it to yourself to get properly proportioned 1:20 coaches. The Bachmann, LGB, Delton, etc. 1:22 and 1:24 coaches are simply going to be dwarfed by the loco. The bad news--the AMS coaches (and the Bronson-Tate kits) go for between $150 - $200 each. The good news is that many narrow gauge passenger trains weren't much longer than three or four cars at the most.
Later,
K
(http://www.largescaleonline.com/eimages/lsolpics/Team_Member_Pics/jlsrails/Rolling_Stock/100_6964.jpg)
Here is one solution. It may not meet everyone's requiments.
The coach was built to match up with the AMS coach with exception of length. The car is 18 1/2" long over the end beams. It is 4 7/8" wide, 6 13/16" in height. Side sill to edge of roof is 4 1/4".
While short it does look better and matches up with 1:20.3 scale Bachmann freight equipment. It does not look out of place behind the K-27 or the Connie. I run it tacked on to the end of mixed freights.
Nice car JD!!
Jon - that's a very nice director's car! I'd be proud to be riding around in that.
Best
tac
Ottawa Valley GRS
ovgrs.org
Here is a stock AMS and a Bachmann
(http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/603/dscf3225g.jpg)
(http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/6223/dscf3227j.jpg)
(http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/9021/dscf3226p.jpg)
Jon
That is a very nice car
Rodney
I have been checking ebay but all I can find is cars with no lettering and they want 200 or more for them or one guy has 4 for 1000. and not lettered. If I could find one for 150. I would do it but so far the accrucrafts are spendy.
Unfortunately, this is not an inexpensive hobby. Plan for the long run, after 30+ years I have a reasonable collection of G gauge cars and engines. This is something that I could not have acquired quickly. In the first 20 or so years I gave my wife a list of items (cars and engines) that I would like. She shared the list with her mother and my parents. Magically, there were some Red and Green (LGB) boxes under the tree at Christmas and on the table at my birthday. Later as newer manufactures appeared there were other colored boxes. Sadly, Nancy's helpers aren't with us any longer, so we're on own and I buy what I can when I see something at a good price that would be a nice addition.
I would love to be able to get cars and engines at a bargin basement price, unfortunately, that rarely happens.
Chuck
but how do they expect you to letter a car with no decal sets available that I can find. why would you mfg a coach in d@rgw yellow and not put lettering on it, I guess I am so used to O gauge and lettered cars that this hobby will be a sit on the shelf for my K 27 and look nice.
Is there a for sale board somewhere on the wwweb where people can list wants and for sale?
Most manufacturers put lettering on most of their cars. There seems to be a small percentage of cars in each run that are left unlettered, so people can add their own lettering without having to remove factory lettering. If you are buying used cars it is possible that the previous owner had removed the lettering.
Car lettering in "G" is now a cottage industry. There are two people that I know of who do lettering for the "G" scales.
Stan Cedarleaf makes water slide decals. He has an extensive library of different railroad's lettering. He will also work with you if you want some custom lettering and logos. I have used him a number of times and his products are excellent. His email address is <scedarleaf at aol dot com>. Substitute @ for at and . for dot in the address and close up the spaces.
The other one is Del Tapparo. He creates vinyl lettering. I have not used him, but I hear good things about his work <www.GScaleGraphics dot net>.
Here is a link to pictures of my Bachmann Shay with Stan's custom lettering.
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/14/aft/124291/afv/topic/Default.aspx#267752
And a link to pictures of a box car I built and used his decals:
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/17/aft/123418/afv/topic/Default.aspx#258531
Chuck
Stan Cedarleaf also does custom decals in small quantities.
http://gold.mylargescale.com/stancedarleaf/webpagedecals/customdecalsx.html
He probably already has done them for those cars
doesnt anyone make dry transfers so you do not have to see those white air bubbles and also have to airbrush over the decal to hide it.
If you follow Stan's directions you shouldn't have any problems with bubbles behind the decal. The film is thin, so after coating the decal, either clear coat of dull coat, it is very hard to see.
Del's vinyl lettering is very much like a dry transfer.
There was a company that made dry transfers for many years, but I don't think that they are still in business.
Chuck
Check with Ozark Miniatures. They recently bought the CDS and Larry Larsen artwork and are advertising the CDS stuff as being available. I don't know whether they're dry transfers or decals, as the web site is vague. The sub-heading says "dry transfer," while each individual category says "decal." I've sent them an e-mail asking for clarification.
I'm not a big fan of decals, either, but here's a few tricks I've come up with... Apply them per the directions, and expect to get tiny air bubbles underneath. I've rarely been able to do so without (hence why I hate decals). Once dry, take the tip of a sharp x-acto knife and poke holes at each air bubble. Then take some Future floor wax (which is just clear acrylics) and brush that over the surface of the decal. It will soak through the holes you just poked, bind itself to the paint and backside of the decal, and when dry, give you a good finish. It also coats the front of the decal with a protective clear coat so it won't come wear off through handling. Don't worry about brush strokes--the acrylic is designed to lay down evenly and does a VERY good job in that department. Once the arylic is dry (24 hours) you can overspray with dull-coat or however you want to finish the car.
Later,
K
When using decals on surfaces of the AMS tank and box cars, is it necessary to prep the surface by making it smoother before application of the decal?....i hope that made sense!
My suggestion is to go to Stan's web site and look at the section on "Application Instructions". Wetting the area where you are applying the decal first makes all the difference. That film of water under the decal makes sliding it into the correct position very easy and forgiving. When I have it in place I then hold one end down with my finger or a needle and then gently brush the top. This gets rid of any bubbles.
With dry transfers, you have to be in the correct position the first time, no minor adjustments are possible.
They all have their pluses and minuses.
Bob:
I have applied Stan's decals to plastic car surfaces; painted and unpainted, without any additional prep. If you are putting them on a wooden kit, I would used a clear coat with a glossy finish before applying the decals. I usually spray the car with a rusty red or gray primer followed by glossy clear coat. If I want a color that is not one of the primer colors, I'll use a glossy version and then spray it with a dull coat when I'm finished applying decals.
I have been working with water slides for years now and air bubbles mean(to me) you should adjust your application technique a little...suggest more water on target area of car .....slowly patting dry ....and a jar of setting solution for the problem areas.....air brush for over coat is best but not required .....clear coat can be had at most stores in a spray can....Krylon has a good one.....Later All...S.B.