Looking for Specs on Passenger Car Details


GuilfordRailman

Well-Known Member
I'm looking for some information on passenger cars from the early to mid-1900s. I'm building a layout focused around the GMRC and would like to be as prototypical as possible, even down to the details. Taking a look at the photo below, does anyone know the length of the grab irons you would find on this car? Also, given this is a cab car, it has a pilot on one end. Is the pilot on the car a certain style? I'm trying to find one I can add to a car such as this but I can't find quite what I'm looking for.

Green Mountain Cab Car.jpg
 
Since the cab car "looks" like the rebuilds used on the Jersey Central in the 70s and 80's, you might try the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society. Also, look at Cal Scale (Bowser), for pilots - Hint they have to fit under a BCW CNJ coach or an Athearn BB coach.- Cal Scale also sells grabs for passenger cars. Worth a look.
Thanks for the info! I wasn’t sure what the year was for these cars so I just guessed for the time being lol.
 
I couldn’t find any info on the grab iron size for these coaches but after looking at same pictures and comparing them to the surrounding objects, I’ve made an educated guess that the grab irons are around 24” in length.

On a different note, I’m trying to find replacement trucks for my recently acquired coaches. I’m looking for this style truck but with couplers attached:

IMG_7559.jpeg


(Walthers 920-2124 Pullman-Standard 8' Wheelbase 4-Wheel Trucks Blk (2) HO Scale)

Does anybody have any leads on where to find these? Or something similar?
 
I might have a couple of those hiding somewhere, don’t recall seeing any with couplers attached though?
Yeah, I can't seem to find any of that style with couplers attached. I would install body-mounted coupler pockets but i'm not sure if the passenger coaches would make the corner on my planned layout.
 
I couldn’t find any info on the grab iron size for these coaches but after looking at same pictures and comparing them to the surrounding objects, I’ve made an educated guess that the grab irons are around 24” in length.

On a different note, I’m trying to find replacement trucks for my recently acquired coaches. I’m looking for this style truck but with couplers attached:

View attachment 198200

(Walthers 920-2124 Pullman-Standard 8' Wheelbase 4-Wheel Trucks Blk (2) HO Scale)

Does anybody have any leads on where to find these? Or something similar?
These any good to you ?
 
These any good to you ?
These were the first ones I found but I don’t believe these types of trucks were used on the cars I’m modeling for the GMRC train. I could be wrong tho, still doing research.
 
I'm guessing these are way later modeling era than what you are looking for. (Streamlined Passenger Trucks)
That’s what I’ve discovered. Interestingly enough, the trucks that are currently on the coaches are almost identical to these newer streamlined trucks, just not as detailed. (Something I didn’t notice at first lol). I’ve decided to throw some new wheel sets on them and upgrade the trucks later.
 
Yeah, I can't seem to find any of that style with couplers attached. I would install body-mounted coupler pockets but i'm not sure if the passenger coaches would make the corner on my planned layout.
The trucks on cars on the first picture are different than any models posted. Notice they have a unique equalizer. Also as a general rule the older steel coaches for local and commuter service had specific type trucks even on different railroads. The newer streamlined coaches; smooth side and corrugated, had especially designed trucks for higher speeds. These are different in look and suspension is different. The last picture posted by @Smudge617 shows the truck especially designed for streamlined high speed coaches; you can tell by the length of the truck frame and by what looks like a torque shaft. Torque shaft was there probably to prevent oscillations from side to side, but I am not an expert. You didn't post pictures of your passenger coaches. So if you are modeling the older commuter coaches or local stock, the newer high speed trucks shouldn't be there, they would look out of place. Here are a few examples of pre-streamline era coaches from early XX century into late 1920s:
IMG_20240407_191548797.jpg

That truck above belongs to a Pennsylvania Railroad commuter coach from very early time in XX century.
Next is a steel baggage from pre-streamline era:
IMG_20240526_145047009_HDR.jpg

Next a Delaware, Lackawanna and Western commuter coach with open vestibule:
IMG_20240210_133520938.jpg

You can see the similarities between the baggage above and that coach. Last from the end of the so called "Heavy weight" era is a Reading Company commuter coach probably from late 1920s:
IMG_20240210_134840936_HDR.jpg

These three have a combination of leaf spring and coil spring suspension.
This next car is an anomaly, and that's because it has been heavily rebuilt and is used on one of the main Class 1 railroads:
IMG_20240808_105312631_HDR.jpg

You can easily see that it is straight from "Heavy weight" era by the roof, but it rides on newer design streamlined trucks. This is obviously not in revenue service, but in some kind of test service.
Now we come to "Streamlined era" which started in 1930s. Your typical coach (actually a Pullman) from that time is a Chesapeake and Ohio with the never trucks:
IMG_20240526_143707393_HDR.jpg

You can also see how far the truck is from the end of the car, and on sharp curves of a layout truck mounted coupler would probably be better. A few more from the "Streamlined era" on BNSF:
IMG_20240727_203709134.jpg

Secondary suspension with the torque shaft easily visible above. Next one was part of that test train with rebuilt heavy weight car, but this one is clearly from "Streamlined era":
IMG_20240808_105319373_HDR.jpg

Last one is a high level "El Capitan" coach from 1950s:
IMG_20240806_180656346_HDR.jpg

And same thing, secondary suspension with a torque shaft easily visible.
 
You didn't post pictures of your passenger coaches. So if you are modeling the older commuter coaches or local stock, the newer high speed trucks shouldn't be there, they would look out of place.
Oops! 😬 I completely forgot! Probably important to do that.

IMG_7532.jpeg


IMG_7606.jpeg


I couldn’t get a good focus on the closeup of the truck in the second picture but hopefully these help.

This is the type of car I’m trying to model or something very similar:

IMG_7609.jpeg


Thanks for all the great info, really helpful!
 
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For now I’ll be using the trucks they came with as I haven’t found suitable replacements. I am trying to find the leaf /coil spring combinations with truck mounted couplers but I haven’t found any yet.
I don't think there were any truck mounted couplers on older style trucks made. Reason probably is that those local/commuter coaches were shorter. If you're just planning your layout as you've mentioned, I'd make widest curves possible, not just for easier operation, but also for looks. Those passenger cars just don't look good on sharp curves.
 
I don't think there were any truck mounted couplers on older style trucks made. Reason probably is that those local/commuter coaches were shorter. If you're just planning your layout as you've mentioned, I'd make widest curves possible, not just for easier operation, but also for looks. Those passenger cars just don't look good on sharp curves.
The RR I’m modeling used 70’ coaches but I chose 60’ ones as these would handle the layout design better. I may be able to get away with body-mounted couplers but I will have to confirm this with some test track first before switching over. Some of the curves are rather sharp but I couldn’t get around that unfortunately.
 



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