Bachmann Thomas "Grey Coal Wagons" ?

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DRG11

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Hello All,

Just wondering if anybody has used any of these wagons ?, are they any good etc

Many thanks
 
DRG11 said:
Hello All,
Just wondering if anybody has used any of these wagons ?, are they any good etc
Many thanks
Click to expand...
They are a pretty good representation of a common-or-garden open. They run nicely, although they are not fond of R1 curves -- their flanges squeal.
 
Squeeeeeeee!
Even on R2 and R3.
The story of TTTE rolling stock. The plastic is more brittle than LGB and easier to break. The paint is very easy to remove (accidentally). The couplers are trash and need to be replaced. But they are a fun size (standard gauge 1:22.5-ish) and shape!
 
I have two that I bought cheap for kitbashing. I ended up keeping both of them as MOW units on my railroad instead. See above comments on quality. But they are great for modifying.
I'm thinking of replacing the wheels on mine, but couplers first.
 
As said above, they are rather large.
 
DRG11 said:
Hello All,

Just wondering if anybody has used any of these wagons ?, are they any good etc

Many thanks
Click to expand...

DRG11, I have two sets of the gray 2-axle short gondola wagons (mine are the TtTE "Troublesome Trucks"). I like them. I want to modify them a bit to remove the TtTE look of them. I intend to haul them behind Toby the Steam Tram.
 
Bill Colwell said:
DRG11, I have two sets of the gray 2-axle short gondola wagons (mine are the TtTE "Troublesome Trucks"). I like them. I want to modify them a bit to remove the TtTE look of them. I intend to haul them behind Toby the Steam Tram.
Click to expand...
Bill, that is exactly what I am doing. I'm currently in the middle of modifying Toby and I've almost finished modifying the trucks.
 
Many thanks to all, not sure if i will get any now due to the plastic as i thought they may have been stronger as designed for the young ones,

Are there any others out there which are simular ??

The only curves that will be radius 1 will be in the sidings, everything on the main operating lines are min 8 foot radius so should be okj there.

Cheers all.
 
DRG11 said:
Many thanks to all, not sure if i will get any now due to the plastic as i thought they may have been stronger as designed for the young ones,

Are there any others out there which are simular ??

The only curves that will be radius 1 will be in the sidings, everything on the main operating lines are min 8 foot radius so should be okj there.

Cheers all.
Click to expand...
I personally dont feel that they are brittle at all. My cousin stepped on one of mine & it was fine. Its also derailed over rocks...
 
Brilliant, I thought they should be strong fornthe younger ones, thats if they get a look in lol,

Thankyou
 
Maybe the main chassis, but the black detail parts break easily (several broken bits on Thomas and friends with little child use, whereas the LGB ones bend or play dead (fall off, re-attach possible). I think the LGB plastic is more pliable which works in its favour.

The black detail bits are more commonly found on the locos I suppose.
 
DRG11 said:
Are there any others out there which are simular ??
Click to expand...

You don't say what the theme of your railway is/will be . . . but assume (from the fact you were considering the Bachmann wagons) that it's broadly British narrow gauge.

My coal wagons are LGB ToyTrain gondolas (subsequently added into the main LGB range as 41060 and similar) with the (European-looking) brake platforms removed. Here are a couple of pictures, one taken at a rather odd angle, and the other "pinched" from this forum (extract of one of David1226's pictures) . . .

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It's not just a case of lopping off the end though, as you then run into coupling issues (and the axleboxes remain asymmetrical). My wagons use the method invented by Garden Railway Specialists for their (erstwhile) "Combo Kits". You take two ToyTrain chassis and cut them "in half" in a particular way to create two new chassis, one shorter than before (to fit the gondola body) and one longer than before (to fit a GRS Box Van or Cattle Wagon body kit). In this way, the axleboxes on each wagon are now symmetrical (to be more British looking) and there is no need to cut the coupler bars on the turning carts. Maybe this is more easily explained in a picture (that I don't have) than in words! The only changes to the gondola body are to reduce the height of the ends to match the sides (usually), spray them with grey primer, add fleet lettering, and a removeable coal load.

Best wishes

David
 
Hello all, The main theme will be german with a little swiss crocodile loco added, i think they look great , sorry.

I was thinking of repainting the wagons to make them look more bulky style type, so thought as they have no end platforms they would be better ??,

I see what you mean by LGB being more plyable as well,

Many thnks for all the info
 
DRG11 said:
Hello all, The main theme will be german with a little swiss crocodile loco added, i think they look great , sorry.

I was thinking of repainting the wagons to make them look more bulky style type, so thought as they have no end platforms they would be better ??,

I see what you mean by LGB being more plyable as well,

Many thnks for all the info
Click to expand...
Not at all sure why the Swiss NG Railways have this obsession about end platforms. But it appears to be so on both the RHB and FO. Perhaps you could use a Toy Train Chassis hacked and lengthened to use the end platform from that. Certainly hacking Toy Train Wagons is a simple art as I have bashed two into different Chassis to resolve the overhang difference.

If going a different route it is possible to pick up LGB End Balcony parts to use on bashes. I may even have a few spirited away somewhere.
 
Hartland Locomotive Works, situated at the North end of the Hoosier Flatlands (Northern Indiana, USA) makes several 1:24 scale 4-wheel freight cars, including gondolas. They measure 140mm long over the end beams x 86mm wide. They have plastic wheels but Bachmann 24.5mm metal wheels are an ideal conversion. These cars are very popular for bashing because they are inexpensive and you can buy them as unassembled kits. They list at US$21.25 assembled and US$18.00 kit.

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249499

They are very sturdy and, as Tomas would say, "useful" workers:

249511

The side dump hoppers are great fun for the grandchildren, also! The hopper tips or lifts off, very handy for spreading ballast!

249512

Incidentally, I used my MicroMark Pull Meter (not to be confused with 'Palmeter') to measure the drawbar load as shown on level track. It was 210g. As the initial working test of my first ever RC conversion, it made track maintenance fun again!
 

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Here's my original build thread on the forum: Conversion: Toby the Tram - G Scale Central
EDIT: This thread probably doesn't contain everything. I tend to forget to put things in here and put them elsewhere instead. So, your best bet is the link below...

This is my build page on my website: Steam Tram #7

I have yet to take quality photos of the whole thing. I'm waiting until it's actually done. But, the cosmetic work is just about there.
 
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