I am guessing I am up the creek on this one.
I bought a Accuready (is it the same as Accurail) 89 foot Bi-Level Open Auto Rack today. I had hope to fill the Auto Rack with 1971 Dodge Chargers.
I have been able to push the bounders so far with tight turns and big engines so I was crossing my fingers with this purchase. I lashed up the Auto Rack to the back of a train with 50 foot boxcars on both ends using number 5 Kadees. Started up the train and the Auto Rack derailed 1/2 way through a 22 inch turn.
Car is at stock weight ( my LHS said I could return it) so if the car was over NMRA weight do you think it stand a chances making it around the smaller turns? There is all so a 18 inch turn in a hidden location, other turns are 22 inches or bigger.
Is there any shorter Auto Rack's? I run 75 foot Con Cor Passenger Cars with no problems.
For $20.00 it a good looking car. Did I just say that? Up to this point I never paid over $15.00 for any rolling stock! But then again, I swore I never pay over $60.00 for a engine.
Thanks for the coming up the creek answers that are coming Ken
I hate Rust
Ken, any car that long should be running on a minimum of 24" radius curves. You might be able to get away by installing longer shank couplers on it. It would be a trial and error sort of thing. Weight might help. If your vehicles are die cast metal, then I wouldn't add any more weight to them.
Just my 2 cents. Without actually looking at this car, I can't give you a definite answer. All of my autoracks are made by Walthers and Athearn.
Athearn and Life Like make a short auto rack, but they aren't very realistic and are toy like. I had a Life Like version as a kid.
Will
Ken,
Try installing Kadee #26 long shank couplers, they are just #5's with long shanks . I bet that should work on the 22", but not the 18". You should try to get rid of the 18", and save yourself the heart ache.
I don't know of any shorter autoracks, sorry.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
I should have specified which cars Athearn has that might work for you if you can find them.
http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=auto+loader+RTR&CatID=THRF
They aren't based on any prototype that I know of.
I have the Athearn Auto Max. They will work on 22" curves, but they are too modern and completely closed so they would defeat the purpose of you showing off your vehicles.
They look like this:
http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=Auto-Max+RTR&CatID=THRF
Here is the Auto Rack.
Micheal, bet you sort like to have it with being a Rio Grand.
Thanks for the answers so far.
Ken
oooh, you know me, anything D&RGW I like alot. I never seen an open Autorack before.
Hope you get it working on your layout, I wanna see some of those beasts on the autorack!
I think it will look great on a siding if you cant run it.
Russell
Hi Ken
I'm running Walther's 89' closed auto racks on 28" min. radius, but to do it all over, I'd go even larger. They work (all #6 TO's in yards), and even better after adding super-elevation on the curves. However, there is still an awful lot of overhang, so I just watch'em from the outside. I like those open racks though, but unfortunately so did vandals! Gerry S.
wholeman I should have specified which cars Athearn has that might work for you if you can find them. http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=auto+loader+RTR&CatID=THRF They aren't based on any prototype that I know of. I have the Athearn Auto Max. They will work on 22" curves, but they are too modern and completely closed so they would defeat the purpose of you showing off your vehicles. They look like this: http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=Auto-Max+RTR&CatID=THRF
I could swear I found reference to the AutoLoader being an ATSF thing they tried, but I'll have to dig for the link, As I hasd to wipe out my Favorites (and the rest of my laptop).
KEn: The question I know you know, but why did it derail? Coupler bind? Did the truck need to pivot more than the frame allows it?
-Morgan
If I where to make a guess, the shanks of the couplers where to short. With the led 50 box car being NMRA weight standard, it seemed to pull the front of the Auto Rack off the rails.
I could throw on longer couplers, and with the 1971 Chargers on the Auto Rack it would be way over NMRA weight standards. But, if it is having problems now with 22 inch turns what going to happen when it hits the 18 inch.
I get the 18 inch turns to 20 inch and maybe 21 and 21 is pushing it.
Thanks for the answers folks.
Another possible solution is to replace the fixed coupler draft gear with a swing bracket:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/380-454
This allows the coupler more rotational freedom, and will allow it to work on tighter turns.
You should also look at why the derailment is happening. I would imagine that the coupler is the problem, but how much arc is there for the trucks to turn? If Accurail put a lot of under-car detail on this car, and they assumed that the car would never have to run on tight curves, the detail may be limiting the travel of the truck's rotation, which also can cause derailments. Can you push the car around the curve by hand (no attached cars) without it derailing? (It's all right to make "woo woo" sounds while you do this, by the way.)
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Is this what you are looking to do with your Accurail Auto-Racks?
And Yes, the weight of the metal cars adds a pretty significant ammount of weight to the Accurail cars.
Mike
Mr B, just added a few cars on top and hooked it into a passenger train, reason is it has longer shanks. Ran it on the A line that has 26" turns, but one. Made it around till I hit the lone 18 inch and and front truck came off.
Far as the swing coupler pocket, all ready and thought of that. If I keep the Auto Rack first I will try cutting back the coupler pocket a little. If that doesn't work I will make a swing pocket. Should not be that hard.
I all so looked at the bottom of the car, trucks are limited by the frame of the car. It will take some cutting to give the truck more freedom. But first, I need to push the car through the turns and see if it stays on the rails. If it does, I would think the trucks has sufficient play.
Mike, yep that is the look I am going for. Who made your cars and what scale? I am using 1/64th scale because they are cheap, but a little big. My Rack will only hold 4 71 Chargers on each deck. But they look good for a Hot Wheel and at a $1.00 each, I can afford to fill the rack. Who made the Three Level Rack?
Thanks for all the answer and interest.
I'm not exactly sure who makes the cars in my Auto-Racks but I believe they are made by a company called Classic Metal Works. The Walthers catalog has dozens of companies who make vehicles in 1/87 scale for H.O. I do remember the cars cost $3.85 each. Those two Auto racks are probably the most expensive freight cars I have because of the cost of the car loads alone.
The Triple level Auto-Rack is made by Accurail. Accurail made both the bi-level and tri-level Auto-Racks.
The Athearn Auto-Loaders were based on an early-mid 1950s Evans Co experimental car.