Short commentary on Rapido Budd cars

[hdtvnut]

Over the last two weeks, I bought six Rapido PRR Budd cars, from three different sources.

In general, I like these cars.  To me, detail is at about the same high level as Branchline Blueprint,  Broadway CZ, or better brass cars.

I did note some problems, and dealt with a few.  Weights are installed under the lighting kit in the roof.  This is bad from a mechanical stability standpoint; the weights need to be down at about floor level, but I left them for now.  These weights had broken loose in the two cars shipped from Michigan, requiring some gluing.  One rooftop was marred by a drop of something.  One lighting kit did not work and shorted out its batteries; a replacement is coming.  The lighting in all the cars is so dim I can't really see it unless the room is completely dark.  The (two per car) batteries are expensive, and the first time I forget to turn them off, I'll probably just do without.

The couplers were plastic and did not work well enough to be usable.  My solution is KD #5's in most cases.  But since they wouldn't fit the original draft boxes, I tried installing them in KD boxes, using the original mounting hole.  However, the #5 medium shank length caused derailing on 35 inch radius curves, and long shank KD's gave too much gap.  Drilling another hole was impossible, as it needed to be too close the the original, so I ended up epoxying KD boxes in at the optimum positions.  Height adjustments were also needed via washers.  Seems like one end of some cars was a little lower than the other.

Hal

 

 

 

[loathar]

That's too bad to hear about the lighting kits. I was thinking of putting those in some IHC cars.
I was wondering how bright they could be with just 2 LEDs and 2 watch batteries.
I thought someone made a self centering, pivoting draft gear box for passenger cars to eliminate the coupler problems on curves? I've seen them advertised for Athearn cars but I don't remember who makes them.

[ndbprr]

If you aren't going to be making and breaking passenger trains you could use a drawbar between the cars.  I fasten one end of the drawbar with a screw and then cut the head off of the mating one after running it into the car.  I even use drawbars between engine consists. In twenty years not one has been comented on so they can't be too obvious. When I feel like it I put a bulge in the center so it looks like a couple of connected couplers and paint them black.  I have better use for Kadee couplers and my $ then using them for show.

[hdtvnut]

Budd made at least some of these cars for PRR.  Reference: "Illustrated Treasury of Budd Railway Passenger Cars, 1931-1981".

Regards

Hal

 

[Don Gibson]

... the #5 medium shank length caused derailing on 35 inch radius curves, and long shank KD's gave too much gap...

 

TRY a #5/46 combination or (my favorites for Passenger) #s 38/36. (I put the 'longs' on the front, & 'shorts' on the rear end). Preserves 'close coupling effect, but longer. Your choice.

Can these be mixed with Walthers' Budd cars? The 'California Zephyr' occasionally ran ran with a PRR sleeper. Mine has a Black Roof.

[hdtvnut]

David, in that case, did Canada also built cars for PRR, or are the Rapidos not correct for any PRR prototypes?   Woods' "I Remember Pennsy" shows an all Pullman consist on p. 43, but the car windows don't match either Rapido sleeper released so far.  I need more books or websites.

Don, I did try 5/46, but decided to opt for maximum flexibility; same regarding drawbars.  Swinging housings shouldn't be needed for 35" radius, just enough clearance between diaphragms so that cars can be backed up on curves.  The Rapido diaphragms are sprung, but are so stiff, they push cars off instead of flexing.

Thanks to all for responses.

Hal