Passenger car size for my new train (Newbie Question)

[Joe Zullo]

Shop around on the net. You can get that caboose for a little less that the Ebay ad you listed. That Piko caboose is 1:24 scale I believe and should go pretty good with the Bachmann 4-6-0 you listed (1:22.5 scale).
That's the thing with "G". It is not really a scale, but a gauge (the track gauge is 45mm). There are several scales that run on that gauge track. 1:32, 1:29, 1:24, 1:22.5, 1:20.3, are all large scale running on G gauge track. There are a couple of more scales popular in Europe such as G1 and 17mm that run on 45 mm track also. 

[punkin]

Thank you very much...you answered two questions at once. I now know my train is a 1:22.5 . I'll look for that when shopping. I would prefer to have matching Bachmann cars but they're rather hard to find.


Thank you Joe.

[Chuck N]

That Caboose would look very nice behind the 4-6-0 in bumblebee colors.  The prototype for that car was used on the Pagosa Springs branch of the D&RGW.  This was a short branch of about 31 miles.  The branch line connected Pagosa Springs with Pagosa Junction on the main line.  It did dual service, a caboose and a coach.

In all likelyhood it would have been the only passenger carrying car used on that spur.  It could be run by itself or with some freight cars.  Cattle and wood products were the two principle freight loads on that branch.

Pullman green and Tuscan red were the only colors it had been painted when it had the cupola.  The cupola was removed in the 40's and it was painted in the bumblebee colors in 1950.

Chuck

You can read about the car in the book "Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Varnish" Colorado Rail Annual no. 25, by Herbert Danneman, p. 111.

Here are some pictures of Bachmann and LGB passenger cars.  I do not have your engine, but I have photographed the cars with an LGB mogul painted for the bumblee bee livery.  It is a little smaller than the your 4-6-0.  The first car is a Bachmann combine followed by an LGB coach with the last car being a Bachmann observation car.





There are some differences between the cars.  The Bachmann car is about 1/2 inch longer and it has 12 windows versus 9 on the LGB.  The prototype also had 12.



You might be able to get 2 Bachmann PCs for the price of one LGB, just a suggestion.  I have both and I would not hesitate to recommend Bachmann passenger cars.  I have six Bachmann PCs, all used, and paid $25,each, for four and $35,each, for two.

Four of the cars were repainted and relettered for the Colorado and Southern.  Here is a link to a thread on <Mylargescale.com> that shows them fresh out of the paint shop.

http://forums.mylargescale.com/21-rolling-stock/48122-new-rolling-stock-patio-southwestern.html

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Punkin,

There are lots of Bachmann Passenger cars on Ebay right now, but I didn't see any DRGW cars.  You can set up a search for them, or buy another road name and repaint them.  With lights and and metal wheels the used cars are a usually a great buy if you have patience.  The other brands do have DRGW cars on Ebay, but they are very pricy in my mind, but if you are in a hurry and money is not tight, well......

Good hunting!!

[punkin]

Thanks to you all...I very much appreciate the photos of the cars. Seeing them side by side really puts some perspective in what I'm looking for. The LGB does look nice but the 12 windows in the Bachmann just looks a little more balanced to me. I will keep an eye out for them. I don't know if painting the cars is something I could do. Then there's the matter of the stenciling and lettering. I may do a bit of research into how it's done but I really don't have a place to do that sort of thing.

Again, thanks to you all for the really great advice. My train came in today. I got it set up and couldn't be more delighted. Smooth, quite and just can't get over how big the thing is. It's just fantastic!

[Chuck N]

Lettering is not a big problem.  Stan Cedarleaf in Dewey, AZ makes excellent decals.  If you go to the link in my post you will see his decals that I put on four Bachmann passenger cars that I repainted.  He advertises in Garden Railways and on the My large scale site.

Chuck

[Chuck N]

FYI

If anyone is interested in some new Bachmann J&S coaches (97218), I saw several at Caboose Hobbies in Denver yesterday afternoon.  They are Rio Grande and look like the ones in my pictures in an earlier post.  The price was a little under $60.

They also have three Delton passenger cars (RIO GRANDE), baggage/ postal, combine, and coach.  They are used, but look to be in good condition.  I did not handle them for a close inspection.  The set is going for about $300.

Chuck