HO Cars

[RWW]

I am pretty new at model railroading. Can anybody help me out with this model train car question? My rolling stock is all freight cars. My curve track on my layout is all 18" radius. I am thinking of putting the HO Bachmann Spectrum heavyweight passenger cars on my layout. Can I use the passenger cars on my 18" radius track?

[jayl1]

They can run on 18" BUT you might be happier with 22" radius - especially for the longer cars.

[SteamGene]

You can use 22" radius on a 4X8, though the track runs close to the edge.  It is better to use 22, especially with any car over 40'!
Gene

[brad]

I've run 23"radius on a 4x8 although some questioned my sanity  :)and it cost me a cab on a Mantua steamer.  :(I think the Sectrum cars scale out at about 60' they might make 18" corners but they'll look awful doing it and everything will have to be PERFECT, track, wheel gauges, car weight, coupler heights, everything will be under "stress" going around such sharp curves.

brad

[Nigel]

I think the Sectrum cars scale out at about 60'

The Spectrum cars are 80 feet.

22" is very very tight for them.

[msowsun]

I just measured my Bachmann and Rivarossi passenger cars.

Bachmann cars are about 80' if you measure from coupler to coupler. Rivarossi's are about 85' coupler to coupler

Side by side, the Bachmann cars are about 5 feet shorter than the Rivarossi's and the so is the wheelbase.

My Rivarossi's will run on 22" radius if they have long shank couplers.

My Bachmann cars have no problems at all on 22" radius track. They might work OK on 18" radius with long shank couplers.

When I got my Bachmann cars about 10 years ago, they had a little pivoting coupler mechanism that didn't work too well because they drooped. I removed them and body mounted the couplers instead.

Do they still use those pivoting couplers on Bachmann cars?

[cmgn9712]

The Spectrum cars are based on the PRR P70 which according to the PRR T&HS are 74' long.

[SteamGene]

Msowson.
My Bachmann C&O George Washington set has the swivel couplers.  So far I have had no trouble with it, but it hasn't been run that often.
Gene

[brad]

I stand corrected. Guess I should have looked at my cars in the yard to see they were almost as long as my Rivarossi cars. I guess I was thinking of the express cars.

brad