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I recently purchased two B&O Golden Gate Depot passenger cars. They are absolutely beautiful. The detail, paint, colors are all excellent. As a little "back story", years ago I bought a 3rd Rail B&O "Big Six" (2-10-2) which is also a stellar addition to my motive power and runs very well on my 054 mainline. However, when I received my B&O passenger cars, the first thing I did was to check clearances on my mainline. The cars went through the 054 curves and turnouts fine but the underbody detail fouled some of my groundthrows. Next I removed the detail panel on the bottom and everything proceeded smoothly (by hand) all along the mainline.  Next, I coupled the car(s) onto an 18" baggage car and later onto a scale MTH steam engine and unfortunately through every 054 curve the GGD passenger car derailed. The apparent reason being that the coupler would not swing through the curve without hitting the leading edge of the car body. If there is not a "fix", I suppose I now have a couple of "shelf queens". Any suggestions that might offer a solution to this unfortunate turn of events would be much appreciated. I figured that if my massive B&O "Big Six" would work on my mainline, the passenger cars would work as well.

PaulB&O coach 2B&O coach 4B&O coach 1

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FWIW,  I would never consider running that length of car on 054".  Too many dimensional conflicts.  I can run them on my 0120" route but they look much better on my 0144" line.

I do have 054" but that is where my 60' cars run.  The 60' cars look best on the 0144" curves.

I have found that just because I could do something it may not be the best thing to do.

Your call.

Tom Tee posted:

FWIW,  I would never consider running that length of car on 054".  Too many dimensional conflicts.  I can run them on my 0120" route but they look much better on my 0144" line.

I do have 054" but that is where my 60' cars run.  The 60' cars look best on the 0144" curves.

I have found that just because I could do something it may not be the best thing to do.

Your call.

This may be the truest thing I've ever read on this site... 

Mark in Oregon

O-54 is a 27 inch radius.  Even the HO people don't try to run full length passenger cars on such a sharp curve.  My HO club use a minimum 40 inch radius or O-80.  Full length O gauge cars cars will usually get around an O-72 curve and you may be able to do an O-63 curve.  O-54 is most likely just too sharp unless you are willing to make major changes to the cars.

GGD has started to advertise 18 inch passenger cars.  Evidently there have been many requests for GGD cars that are shorter than scale length.  You might want to contact GGD and ask if they are going to make B&O 18 inch cars.  If they are, you may want to sell your full scale cars  and apply the money toward a purchase of the 18 inch cars when they become available.  The 18 inch cars should get around O-54 curves.  NH Joe

VistaDomeScott posted:

072 is minimum for 21" cars.  A train that nice calls for some real estate expansion and wider curves.

I run Atlas Horizon/Comets through O63 curves (and at speed) with no issue, but that is the only full-scale rolling stock I have owned.  The overhang would probably be distasteful to some, but I had to make some compromises for the space I had.  The outer track is O72, and all the turnouts are Atlas #7, (except for the Atlas wye in the yard, along with some O81 curves).  My next layout will have at least O81 ruling curves, perhaps even O90.

Last edited by Pantenary

No help on the radius problem but we had a similar situation on the underbody hitting with the Silver Meteor cars. Took it to York to discuss with Scott and he said to put a small screw in the middle of the underbody to hold it to the frame.

The underbody was flexing and dropping down. He said that they had changed something and didn’t realize that there was a problem. This solved it.

prrjim posted:

You have solved most of your problems.

Sacrificing underbody detail as a solution is a sad means to an end with these cars.

You never mention what type of coupler you are using.     However, a possible easy fix is a longer shank coupler - ie one that sticks out farther, so the head clears the edge of the car body.

Yes, that information would would help to solve the derailing issue. Time honored solutions are available and longer shank body mounted couplers that would pivot greater to permit tighter radii used to be a standard.

B&O coach 3mwb posted:
prrjim posted:

You have solved most of your problems.

Sacrificing underbody detail as a solution is a sad means to an end with these cars.

You never mention what type of coupler you are using.     However, a possible easy fix is a longer shank coupler - ie one that sticks out farther, so the head clears the edge of the car body.

Yes, that information would would help to solve the derailing issue. Time honored solutions are available and longer shank body mounted couplers that would pivot greater to permit tighter radii used to be a standard.

My 21" K-Line NYC aluminum cars negotiate the O-54 curves at the end of my layout (and the GGD B&O cars are 3/16" shorter!) I do believe that a slightly longer coupler shank would permit the GGD cars to go through the O-54 curve successfully, but who and where  and how to effect this change?  The coupler shank appears to be readily removed but does anyone know who sells a slightly longer coupler that would be compatible with the GGD cars. Thank to "mwb" and "prrjim" for the timely suggestion.

Paul

 

 

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