NEWBIE NEEDS INFO ON DIFFERENCE IN BACHMANN G SCALES

[anmtspace]

Hi there,

I'm purchasing Bachmann G-scale on Ebay at the moment.  I've got the White Pass Yukon Anniversary loco and the observation coach.  I've also got the 1:20.3 undecorated box car as I assumed that this new 1:20.3 scale would be more highly detailed.  Unfortunately, trawling through the posts I now understand that the loco and observation coach are a different scale to 1:20.3.

I'm concerned that the box car is going to look 'wrong' if the scales are different.  I wanted to get one or two extra rolling-stock, probably the White Pass or Gramps tank car and one other.

Should I dump the 1:20.3 box car 95370 and go with the other Bachmann G-scale box car 93370 so everything matches?

To further complicate matters I also see 88099 1:20.3 undecorated box car which is much more expensive.  What is the 'real' difference between these three box cars?

I am seeing some 1:20.3 locos coming up on Ebay and I'm wondering if I should forget the White Pass and coach and concentrate on 1:20.3 scale exclusively.  If you all think that the Anniversary loco is as detailed as the 1:20.3 Connie, for example, then I would probably stay with what I've got.

Initially I want the loco and rolling-stock as a shelf-display with future plans to have the ability to run the train on track when my circumstances change.
As a shelf-display I was wanting a loco and rolling-stock that was the most realistic.

It'd be a right pain to ignorantly purchase items and find that they're not detailed enough and of mismatched scales since I'm getting these items sent to Australia and the $conversion and high-freight charges from the USA make this an expensive purchase.

So...... any help to the above, plus any info that you know I'll need but haven't yet realised the question will be very, very much appreciated.

Regards,
MARK IN AUSTRALIA

[Kevin Strong]

The "1:20" box car you have is not 1:20, despite what it says on the box. Bachmann--at one point--even said it and its flat car and gondola companions (all in the 95### series) were erroneously labeled as such. For whatever reason, they've never clarified. Now, there may have been narrow gauge equipment that measured 20' long and under 6' wide, but there's no way, no how that box car is 1:20, unless it ran on the Wonderland & Seven Dwarves Western. Change the scale to 1:24, and you're closer to c. 1870s narrow gauge equipment coming from the prominent carbuilders of the day.

The 88### series equipment (and any other equipment sold under the "Spectrum" banner) is true 1:20.3. That stuff is decidedly more highly detailed, and a lot larger. The passenger cars--like the Anniversary 4-6-0--are 1:22.5. Both look "okay" with the larger 1:20 stuff, at least with the smaller 1:20 stuff like the Climax, 0-4-0, 4-4-0 and 2-6-0. You start getting into the larger stuff like the Shay, Heisler, and most definitely the K-27, then the scale difference becomes a bit more obvious.

My suggestion would be to stick with the Spectrum 1:20 stuff. It's definitely eye candy right out of the box, and with a little weathering, looks darned good. You're out of luck on the passenger cars, at least from Bachmann, but the AMS passenger cars are fantastic.

Later,

K

[Steve Stockham]

  One other thing to consider is that the "regular" stuff (1:22.5) has truck mounted couplers while the Spectrum cars (1:20.3) are body mounted. Bachmann makes an adapter coupler which comes with the Spectrum cars so that they can be run with "regular" rolling stock. It would also be relevant to know that the Anniversary 10-Wheeler's coupler on the back of the tender is set at truck mounted height. It is relatively easy to body mount a coupler to the tender of an Annie if you choose to go the 1:20.3 route. The Annie is a pretty highly detailed engine for the price so I wouldn't get rid of it!

[on30gn15]

Hey Y'all;

While this thread is mostly about rolling stock I'd like to add that the people figures billed as 1:20.3 scale really are that size.

[samevans]

The "1:20" box car you have is not 1:20, despite what it says on the box. Bachmann--at one point--even said it and its flat car and gondola companions (all in the 95### series) were erroneously labeled as such. For whatever reason, they've never clarified. Now, there may have been narrow gauge equipment that measured 20' long and under 6' wide, but there's no way, no how that box car is 1:20, unless it ran on the Wonderland & Seven Dwarves Western. Change the scale to 1:24, and you're closer to c. 1870s narrow gauge equipment coming from the prominent carbuilders of the day.

If what I remember is true, the boxcar was based on a Cairo and Kanawha RR  prototype which was smaller prototype equipment than the norm.  It was modelled to 1:22.5 scale but the fittings inc ladders were to 1:20.3.  It was produced at a time when Bachman was preparing to move into 1:20.3 and I cannot help feeling that bets were being hedged.  I have an idea that the boxcar (Cairo and Kanawha boxcar #5 ?) drawings were published in from Carsten's Slim Gauge Cars" .   

The new 1:20.3 boxcars are a detailed model of a more typical size car built to the correct scale gauge combination for portraying 3ft ga on 45mm track.  Yer pays yer money & makes yer choice.

Sam E

[Kevin Strong]

If what I remember is true, the boxcar was based on a Cairo and Kanawha RR  prototype which was smaller prototype equipment than the norm.  It was modelled to 1:22.5 scale but the fittings inc ladders were to 1:20.3 ...  I have an idea that the boxcar (Cairo and Kanawha boxcar #5 ?) drawings were published in from Carsten's Slim Gauge Cars" .  

Thanks, Sam. I really need to get a copy of that book added to my library... I did find two photos of the C&K cars in George Hilton's American Narrow Gauge Railroads. (pp. 177 - 178) Going by the track gauge (3'), the car measures at 6' wide, and would be about 6' tall from floor to ceiling inside. The brakeman in the photo probably stood a little over 5' tall. Those measurements are right in line with early box cars from B&S and J&S. (6' wide, around 6' tall inside, and between 22 and 23' long.) Drawings for those are in Robert Sloan's A Century + Ten of D&RGW Narrow Gauge Freight Cars, 1871 - 1981

They would definitely work for c. 1870s equipment in 1:24 or 1/22.

Later,

K