Bachmann 20' low gondola

[Madman]

I am looking at a Bachmann 20' low gondola on Evilbay. These cars have body mounted knuckle couplers as the come from the factory. This particular one is brand new and has a package of hook & loop couplers included. I presume the hook & loop couplers would get mounted in the same holes as the existing knuckle couplers. But what about running through curves? Years ago I tried LGB link & pin couplers on my field railway rolling stock and had issues on curved track. Back then I still had R1 curves. Now my entire railway is R3 with a couple of R2 curves.

Has anyone had any experience with this rolling stock ? What about the coupler issue ?

 

[beavercreek]

There are a range of Spectrum 1:20.3 scale rolling stock based on 30ft prototypes. If the one that you are looking at is one of these, then they will accept the hook and loop in place of the knuckles but of course the hook an loop 'tang' will have to fit the coupler box. If they are the original ones supplied with the gondola then this should be fine.
Your R3 curves will also be fine.....the R2 ones may be too sharp but it depends on what is preceding and following the gondola.

If it is the older Spectrum 20ft low gondola 1:22.5 scale ( metal steps and wheel ) then the coupler is on the bogie and R2 and R3 curves will be fine

 

[Madman]

Here is the gondola in question
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141743203708?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2648&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[beavercreek]

Yep Dan, it is the gondola with the coupler on the bogie...no problem around even R 1 at a push.....

 

[Madman]

Have a closer look. The couplers are body mounted.

 

[beavercreek]

Apologies Dan, I stand corrected. :- :-[
I have just gone outside and checked the one that I have which lives out in the open all year around. It does indeed have body mounted couplers.
Well, it is really only a decorative piece of rolling stock on a spur but when I did have it in a rake, some years ago, it went around, (with the knuckle couplers attached), the R1 curves while linked to a bogie mounted coupler on a 30ft flat car that it was following.
I can not say for certain that that would be the same for the hook and loop type.

 

[Madman]

Thanks Mike, for that further bit of information. It will be helpful if I manage to get hold of some of the 20' rolling stock I'm after.

 

[Madman]

So a 20' boxcar arrived today. It has metal wheels and body mounted couplers. I noticed that the flanges on the wheels are a tad smaller than on Bachmann's 31 mm metal wheels. I tested it on an R3 turnout with no issues. It went through the frog with only a slight barely noticeable bump.

 

[beavercreek]

Result!

 

[Madman]

OK, so I mounted hook and loop couplers to the body. I had to shim them down about 1/4". I mounted them ridged, i.e. non pivoting. I ran the boxcar through the garden layout. Shunted it a bit through the R3 turnouts. Success. Not an issue with the wheels or the ridged mounted couplers.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I had a couple of 20 footers - they run absolutely fine. Don't use hook and loop though.

Personally, I think they're really nice wagons.