1:20.3 period passenger cars?

[CCSII]

Is the only option for turn of the century 1:20.3 scale passenger cars the $x,xxx Accucraft set? I am modeling a mixed C&S railroad and need narrow gauge passenger cars. Bachmann and Lgb seem too small. Any suggestions?

[grandpopswalt]

I'm partially through a bash of a Bachmann coach to 1:20.3 dimensions. I split the body and roof lengthwise and inserted styrene to achieve about an 8' width in 1:20 scale. I also cut up another coach and used it to add about 4" in length to achieve a 44' length. This produces 16 windows .... Not prototypical but it works out if you space the seats such that there are 2 seats per every 3 windows. I filed the window openings to enlarge them. I also used evergreen scribed styrene under the windows to gain a little more height and I raised the roof about ¼" by putting a fascia strip between the top of the windows and the roof.

Using this method requires cutting up three 1:22 passenger coaches to get two 1:20.3 coaches. That works out to about $40 per finished 1:20.3 coach depending on how much you have to pay for the 1:22 coaches. I think it is much less expensive than buying currently available units, either kit and RTR.

Warning: this is a tedious project, which is why the first coach is still far from being finished, but I think it will yield a very usable passenger coach if you're not hung up on prototype fidelity. My new philosophy for LS railroading is to just sit back in the garden and "watch-em-run" from about 20' away. At that distance, it's the "essence" that counts, not the details. If I ever get around to finishing it, I will take a picture and share, but not now.

Walt

[vsmith]

 

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You might still be able to order kits for the 1/20.3 Carter Bros passenger car kits that were being built my several MLS members, heres the link to the finish models:

http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42826

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This is the projects topic page, look about 1/2 way down the 1st page for a post by David Fletcher listing where the kits can be purchased from;

http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=39106

I forget the price, but I'm sure its alot less than the Accucrafts.

[CCSII]

Thanks, trying to track down those kits right now.