Can anyone tell me what the inside dimensions of a gondola car like #90390 are? I am in further need of 3 or 4 to start with. I am building a Bachmann G scale layout that will entirely be on trestles and will be using "Annies" to pull them with pints of berries from my garden. I am trying to work out whether or not I can also run a Three-Truck Shay like #82499 on my layout and if I have to stay with 8' dia curves to do so or if I can use 4" dia with them with caution at low speed. I'm just getting started and have a lot to learn. My initial setup will involve about 100' ft of track in the Spring but plan to continue to build out to about another 100' in the summer and will likely move to in the range of 400' to 500' feet next year. I plan to keep it simple with analog and minimal switches or none at all. I would appreciate any advice from you "old hands". I picked up a lot from Ross Carson who does the Longwood Gardens layout every year.
Jim,
I can't find a gondola #90390 in my database, can you provide more info on it. The standard line gondola like the ones in the sets are 14 3/8 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide. Most shays will run on 4' with caution at slow speed, but not well in my opinion. others may feel differently. The most common problem with the shays is the drive shafts can come undone when they are on the outside of the curve. If your shay were to negotiate a 4' curve to the right and later one to the left the shafts may come out of the sockets. I tried 4' radius on my old logging branch, but had too many problems to find it fun. If you do try 4' curves, make sure your track is laid absolutely perfect with no kinks and level from side to side.
Good luck and have fun with the new layout.
Loco Bill