LGB D&RGW Shorty Coach

[duncan1_9_8_4]

I have just purchased a second hand LGB Shorty coach, and would have anyway because I like it. But, I was just wondering, is there any realism to these, or are they just a spin off for the 'toy' market? It will look good to mix up my standard size DRGW fleet of coaches.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I don't think any of the American 3ft lines built coaches less than 28ft in length.

One of the manufacturers, Carter Bros, had the reputation of building virtually everything for the railroad on site - hence the diamond framed bogies (made from steel flat bar) with wooden bolsters. Evreything else was mostly timber, and coaches were built to a standard-ish pattern.

 

[stevedenver]

Well, in all my years of perusing books etc of odd us narrow gauge i have not seen anything remotely close.

I think they are the creatures of old lgb's marketing dept, for a us starter set.



I too like them. I use them for mythical mining lines, be it US or Mexican, pulled by a porter, lgb 2-4-0 or lgb davenport. They look nice when one has rad 1 and shorter sidings. A characature of US narrow gauge coaches.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Even the Maine 2-footers had longer coaches

 

[Madman]

In any case the shorter coaches look good on our small garden railways. Even if you think your railway empire is not small, in reality it is when you calculate the scale miles it contains. Not meant to burst anyone's bubble mind you......lol

 

[Rhinochugger]

Yes, it's a question of proportion yer honour

 

[Gizzy]

Yes, it's a question of proportion yer honour

A question of compromise I reckon....

 

[Rhinochugger]

A question of compromise I reckon....

Well, yes and no, minister

Given that any model is a compromise, Dan's point was that an artificially shortened coach could look OK when the railroad itself was, well.....................

.................artificially shortened

 

[James Day]

Has anyone ever looked at the 009/H0e Eggerbahn range of the 1960s? Some of this was later made by Jouef after they took Egger over.

The range pre-dated LGB, but had a lot of LGB like shorty stock, including a short compartment coach, a short balcony coach, and a Wild West short coach. They had swing single axles/couplings too.

The range also featered a short 0-4-0 and a US version with pilot, spark arrestor and tender.

I am not saying that LGB copied anything directly from the range, but the concept seems very similar. I appreciate that shorty coaches and locos have been around since toy trains started, but it is the similarity of concept between Egger and LGB that I find interesting.

James

 

[Gizzy]

Well, yes and no, minister

Given that any model is a compromise, Dan's point was that an artificially shortened coach could look OK when the railroad itself was, well.....................

.................artificially shortened

I concur....

 

[duncan1_9_8_4]

My shorty is now in service with the rest of my DRGW fleet of PIKO coaches. I like it because it just mixes things up a little. After seeing some of the 'rubbish' that the real DRGW cobbled together in real life, that makes me feel easier about having this coach. Even if it is not real. Does help to get that illusion of a longer train though. About the scale mileage, I have often wondered how long my railway might be....

 

[Frank Gallagher]

In any case the shorter coaches look good on our small garden railways. Even if you think your railway empire is not small, in reality it is when you calculate the scale miles it contains. Not meant to burst anyone's bubble mind you......lol

Size isn't everything

 

[David1226]

Size isn't everything

True.... I often say, it's not the length of the coach that matters.... it's the loading gauge....

David