I keep and enjoy everything from the Lionel "Hillside" type cars to scale GGD and Atlas, and everything in between. 

I keep them away from each other though and operate them at different times and places.

I can only hope for 072 max. More and more people are saying 21" cars look really bad on them, so I have no plans to retire my "shorter than scale" passenger equipment.

(then again, I probably wouldn't retire them even if I did have the room for larger curves)

---PCJ

No, if I can replace an existing set with full scale ones, the 18" ones go bye bye.

I have sold most of my "Baby Madisons", but have no plans to change out my Madisons, or 15 inch aluminums. 

RailRide posted:

I can only hope for 072 max. More and more people are saying 21" cars look really bad on them, so I have no plans to retire my "shorter than scale" passenger equipment.

Maybe, but they look really nice on the straights!

Jim

You do realize that, depending on the prototype, 18" or even 15", ARE full scale?

In any case, 18" is long enough for me.  No need for and no interest in 21". 

Try going over an 072 curved bridge (I have 4 of them) with a 21" car.

Not only am I keeping my 15" and fewer 18" sets for our O72 minimum layout, I'm seriously looking forward to more and more of them coming onto the secondary market as the scale-bug takes hold.

When I was into HO....big time....I had no preference for anything  BUT scale-length passenger cars.....and the generous radii of trackwork that suited them.

But, now that I've left the dark side (), found freedom from pickers of nit, and my wrists have fully healed, I'm reveling in my basement realm of blissful compromise and fantasy.  And, in that regard and to the subject matter, I most certainly find the shorter passenger cars looking fine and dandy as they slither through the     O72-plus curves of the layout.  

Since O72  O3Rcurves are the equivalent to an 18" radius curve in the HO world, I already knew what a silver python with a bad case of hypermobility would look like.  Besides, my pre-teen experiences of navigating  the noisy, gyrating vestibules between cars on the 1:1 trains as we made our way to the dining car, the dome car, the observation car.....and back again!....several times on a trip!....said, 'Those poor 1:48 patrons will never make it to the dining car on their journey through 21"-ers if they step into the vestibule as it enters an O72 curve!'

Of course, TEHO.  It's just one of those pleasant compromises this part of the hobby affords me!

I've had enough discussions with the manufacturers at York and other venues to know that there's no future for them in the 15" passenger car market.   Not going to happen.  Even the recent Neil Young adventures in PRR and Texas Special trains with 15" cars were, apparently,....  18" cars....not so much.   "Bigger is Better".

So, please, please, please!......all you guys/gals with those gorgeous 'shorty' sets of passenger cars out there!.....let's get them onto the tables at York and other shows....or internet auctions!!   I'm ready!

And THANK YOU!!!!!

KD

There was a time when I wanted 21" cars, but I've come to my senses. 18" cars look fine on O-72.

Anybody trying to get rid of their 15" k-line SP Daylight aluminum cars, just contact me. I'll take 'em.

For several reasons already mentioned, (my O72 curves and especially those on bridge approaches and extreme overhang for anything over 18 in.) I long ago decided 18 inch passenger cars were fine for the time period on my PRR modeling.  I am happy with my K-Line heayweight cars and two weaver B60 express cars.  As others have said, some 18 inch cars are scale or very close to scale length depending on the type of car, rr and time period.  But I sure do like seeing photos of the beautiful 21 inch scale sets on the large layouts on sweeping curves.   

I have 15-, 18-and 21-inch passenger cars. I run O-27 at home and scale stuff at the club. I enjoy them all, and I love the proportions of the 18-inch heavyweight cars.

Like dkdkrd, I liberated myself from a scale obsession, in my case a quarter century ago. I have nothing against the scale stuff, but it is not the end-all of this hobby.

As always, count the rails.

palallin posted:

You do realize that, depending on the prototype, 18" or even 15", ARE full scale?

Thankfully someone mentioned this...

When K-Line and Williams 17 1/2 inch cars were the few available, the Rail King 15 inch baggage car was just right for a 60' baggage car.  Old Hungarian saying, "No such thing as too many heavyweight baggage cars."  That's not really an old Hungarian saying, I made it up twenty years ago.  Same holds true for express cars and express reefers.  A train of heavyweight baggage cars and express reefers from various model manufacturers makes a decent Fast Mail train.  The paint is not the same throughout the train, just like the prototypes.   John in Lansing, Ill.

I just got done detailing mine so I'm keeping them. https://youtu.be/XwItRNfkeO0

RailRide posted:

 More and more people are saying 21" cars look really bad on them

 

That statement always cracks me up. I guess the pizza cutter flanges and center rail look really good to those same people  

18" cars are plenty long for me--I just bought a set of K-Line 18" PRR heavyweights and plan to keep them forever. 

I have kept my 18 inch cars and will run them together,I have the Ca Zephyr cars and run them on 096 curves on the layout.

Mikey

Of all the passenger cars out there right now, I actually PREFER the 18" ones, with 15" coming in second, and 21" coming in a distant third.  Why?  Because I finally have a layout in its final design stages, and the 21-inchers are just gonna be overkill.  The layout is a nice size for sure, but it's not gonna be a full-basement empire.  It will handle  21" cars, but I'm not convinced everything I own needs  to be 21".  So I have no plans to sell all my 18" passenger sets, and I'm also glad I held on to a select 15" set or two!!!

Going forward, before I purchase another 21" set, there's gotta be something really unique about it.  Otherwise 15" or 18" passenger cars with detail will suit me just fine. 

David