Bachmann Smoothside Passenger Cars arriving now

[jmlaboda]

...but in the MR Jan 2017 issue they say that the Bachmann model of the 85' fluted-side coach "measures within inches" of drawings for the Budd coaches bought by Santa-Fe in 1953. And those cars were actually 80' cars!

Don't know where you are getting your information but the 1953 order of leg-rest coaches were, in fact, 85' cars.  That is from The Official Register of Passenger Train Equipment book.

[wcfn100]

Don't know where you are getting your information but the 1953 order of leg-rest coaches were, in fact, 85' cars.  That is from The Official Register of Passenger Train Equipment book.

Isn't that number over the coupler faces?

Jason

[thomasjmdavis]

Drawings in the McCall Coach, Smoker and Chair Car Geneology list the cars as Budd lot 9613-135, 80' over end sills.  Add a vestibule (42", I think, but that number is hard to read on the diagram) and 2 diaphragms (13" each per the drawing) to that, and you are at 85'8"

[jmlaboda]

Isn't that number over the coupler faces?

On the inside pulling faces.

[wcfn100]

On the inside pulling faces.

So yes. 

The point is, if you were looking at a diagram, that's probably not the measurement you would use when asked or talking about the length of the car.

Jason

[Nato]

                :|For what it is worth all these cars are now listed on the MB Klein site, but even at $50.00 a car the price is still out of line for what you will get. Nate Goodman (Nato). 

[Chris333]

Lol $50 

[peteski]

Hey, maybe Mark (Spookshow) will buy a set to review them on his website. 

[Chris333]

They are on sale right now at MBK for $35.00. Still steep compared to what MTL gives you for $25.00.

[Mark5]

I saw these in person yesterday, the N&W red isn't as bad as depicted in the Bachmann photo (on my PC) - but it is still noticeably wrong.

The non-flush windows scream 1970s (or 1960s even).

[Nato]

                 In revisiting the MB Klein site this afternoon we can see what are popular roads on these cars and why. Pennsylvania observation cars (a fairly close prototype match) are now Out of Stock I can see the demand for these. All of the N&W cars are Out of Stock, modelers want them to run with their J's. The least popular road name is B&O lots of cars left, then New York Central and Union Pacific. Of course I don't know if most of the purchasers are East Coast and local area modelers which would account for low UP sales or if the Inaccuracy of these cars would be a factor. Nate Goodman (Nato). 

[OldEastRR]

I haven't seen the MR review of the smooth side cars, but in the MR Jan 2017 issue they say that the Bachmann model of the 85' fluted-side coach "measures within inches" of drawings for the Budd coaches bought by Santa-Fe in 1953. And those cars were actually 80' cars! So I'm somewhat sceptical of MR reviews at present.

Regards,
Ron

You must remember, the primary goal of magazine product reviews is to keep the advertisers happy. Much like the main (only?) duty a politician knows is to get re-elected.  Concern for the general public is not the point.

Since I made a correct POS21a out of the KATO boattail obs, I can say definitely the Bachmann version is only mostly correct on the corridor (LH) side. It's completely wrong for a PRR car on the right.
And if you think $59 is a lot for a smoothside, you'll go nuts over the $79 Bmann is charging for the heavyweight.
So sad to see that people who actually make N scale stuff apparently think it's a toy scale. Still.

[Ron McF]

Don't know where you are getting your information but the 1953 order of leg-rest coaches were, in fact, 85' cars.  That is from The Official Register of Passenger Train Equipment book.

Jerry - my info is from the source mentioned by thomasjmdavis - page 227 of McCall's book "Coach, Smoker & Chair Car Genealogy".  Given that we were probably referring to different dimensions I will withdraw my comment on the MR review.

Regards,
Ron

[Nato]

                 :|If anyone is interested or even cares MB Klein has now restocked all of these cars for anyone interested in getting a Semi Accurate N&W train to run with their J's. Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah. 

[peteski]

                 :|If anyone is interested or even cares MB Klein has now restocked all of these cars for anyone interested in getting a Semi Accurate N&W train to run with their J's. Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah. 

Nate,  looking at this thread one might think that we jumped all over you for posting the news about these cars.

Speaking for myself, I (and I suspect for the others who pointed out some problems with those models) didn't mean anything personal against you.  Please don't get discouraged and stop posting info about new models you reviewed personally or see offered for sale. As I see it, this was a typical TRW critique of a new model.