I keep and enjoy everything from the Lionel "Hillside" type cars to scale GGD and Atlas, and everything in between. 

I keep them away from each other though and operate them at different times and places.

I can only hope for 072 max. More and more people are saying 21" cars look really bad on them, so I have no plans to retire my "shorter than scale" passenger equipment.

(then again, I probably wouldn't retire them even if I did have the room for larger curves)

---PCJ

No, if I can replace an existing set with full scale ones, the 18" ones go bye bye.

I have sold most of my "Baby Madisons", but have no plans to change out my Madisons, or 15 inch aluminums. 

RailRide posted:

I can only hope for 072 max. More and more people are saying 21" cars look really bad on them, so I have no plans to retire my "shorter than scale" passenger equipment.

Maybe, but they look really nice on the straights!

Jim

You do realize that, depending on the prototype, 18" or even 15", ARE full scale?

In any case, 18" is long enough for me.  No need for and no interest in 21". 

Try going over an 072 curved bridge (I have 4 of them) with a 21" car.

Not only am I keeping my 15" and fewer 18" sets for our O72 minimum layout, I'm seriously looking forward to more and more of them coming onto the secondary market as the scale-bug takes hold.

When I was into HO....big time....I had no preference for anything  BUT scale-length passenger cars.....and the generous radii of trackwork that suited them.

But, now that I've left the dark side (), found freedom from pickers of nit, and my wrists have fully healed, I'm reveling in my basement realm of blissful compromise and fantasy.  And, in that regard and to the subject matter, I most certainly find the shorter passenger cars looking fine and dandy as they slither through the     O72-plus curves of the layout.  

Since O72  O3Rcurves are the equivalent to an 18" radius curve in the HO world, I already knew what a silver python with a bad case of hypermobility would look like.  Besides, my pre-teen experiences of navigating  the noisy, gyrating vestibules between cars on the 1:1 trains as we made our way to the dining car, the dome car, the observation car.....and back again!....several times on a trip!....said, 'Those poor 1:48 patrons will never make it to the dining car on their journey through 21"-ers if they step into the vestibule as it enters an O72 curve!'

Of course, TEHO.  It's just one of those pleasant compromises this part of the hobby affords me!

I've had enough discussions with the manufacturers at York and other venues to know that there's no future for them in the 15" passenger car market.   Not going to happen.  Even the recent Neil Young adventures in PRR and Texas Special trains with 15" cars were, apparently,....  18" cars....not so much.   "Bigger is Better".

So, please, please, please!......all you guys/gals with those gorgeous 'shorty' sets of passenger cars out there!.....let's get them onto the tables at York and other shows....or internet auctions!!   I'm ready!

And THANK YOU!!!!!

KD

There was a time when I wanted 21" cars, but I've come to my senses. 18" cars look fine on O-72.

Anybody trying to get rid of their 15" k-line SP Daylight aluminum cars, just contact me. I'll take 'em.

For several reasons already mentioned, (my O72 curves and especially those on bridge approaches and extreme overhang for anything over 18 in.) I long ago decided 18 inch passenger cars were fine for the time period on my PRR modeling.  I am happy with my K-Line heayweight cars and two weaver B60 express cars.  As others have said, some 18 inch cars are scale or very close to scale length depending on the type of car, rr and time period.  But I sure do like seeing photos of the beautiful 21 inch scale sets on the large layouts on sweeping curves.   

I have 15-, 18-and 21-inch passenger cars. I run O-27 at home and scale stuff at the club. I enjoy them all, and I love the proportions of the 18-inch heavyweight cars.

Like dkdkrd, I liberated myself from a scale obsession, in my case a quarter century ago. I have nothing against the scale stuff, but it is not the end-all of this hobby.

As always, count the rails.

palallin posted:

You do realize that, depending on the prototype, 18" or even 15", ARE full scale?

Thankfully someone mentioned this...

When K-Line and Williams 17 1/2 inch cars were the few available, the Rail King 15 inch baggage car was just right for a 60' baggage car.  Old Hungarian saying, "No such thing as too many heavyweight baggage cars."  That's not really an old Hungarian saying, I made it up twenty years ago.  Same holds true for express cars and express reefers.  A train of heavyweight baggage cars and express reefers from various model manufacturers makes a decent Fast Mail train.  The paint is not the same throughout the train, just like the prototypes.   John in Lansing, Ill.

I just got done detailing mine so I'm keeping them. https://youtu.be/XwItRNfkeO0

RailRide posted:

 More and more people are saying 21" cars look really bad on them

 

That statement always cracks me up. I guess the pizza cutter flanges and center rail look really good to those same people  

18" cars are plenty long for me--I just bought a set of K-Line 18" PRR heavyweights and plan to keep them forever. 

I have kept my 18 inch cars and will run them together,I have the Ca Zephyr cars and run them on 096 curves on the layout.

Mikey

Of all the passenger cars out there right now, I actually PREFER the 18" ones, with 15" coming in second, and 21" coming in a distant third.  Why?  Because I finally have a layout in its final design stages, and the 21-inchers are just gonna be overkill.  The layout is a nice size for sure, but it's not gonna be a full-basement empire.  It will handle  21" cars, but I'm not convinced everything I own needs  to be 21".  So I have no plans to sell all my 18" passenger sets, and I'm also glad I held on to a select 15" set or two!!!

Going forward, before I purchase another 21" set, there's gotta be something really unique about it.  Otherwise 15" or 18" passenger cars with detail will suit me just fine. 

David

I plan to keep all copies at this point in time.

The smaller cars work well at home, small layout, Christmas.

The scale cars are for the club layout.

IF GGD or Lionel did rerun the 1938 Century in scale cars I would try to sell the shorter cars.

Charlie

I'm perfectly happy with the 18" cars I have, nothing about the 21" cars has caused me to say I "gotta upgrade".  I won't say I'll never end up with a 21" set, but the combination of all the things mentioned (larger overhang for O72, higher cost vs. the 18" set prices I paid, and less detail for the $$ (no passengers unless I buy separate and add myself)) have caused me to meet the 21" cars with an "eh."   (the "windows on the outside" thing that bugs a lot of the "all scale" crowd never bothered me).  I did have the new "theater car" on my long list (to be reduced to a realistic order) of items I liked in the new catalog, but I will probably cut that since I'm sure it won't really look right by itself paired with my 18" cars.

I do have a few older sets from the mid to late 90's (I think 15") too that I still like, even with the silhouettes as opposed to real interior details.  I don't feel the need to upgrade them either.

I guess while I appreciate scale offerings to some extent, I'm definitely not living by "scale or nothing" as some folks are.

-Dave

I have several sets of the 18" passenger cars, which I find is a reasonable compromise between the shorty 15" cars and the full scale 21" versions.  The real estate that I have for a layout only allows for O54 curves, and I am darn glad to have that!

Certainly. I'll keep them until I no longer enjoy them then I'll sell them at a basic give away price so someone else can enjoy them.

Rod Miller

The 027/Railking passenger and freight consists are ideal for sharing trains at shows with a portable layout similar to the following.

Double Helix I took to shows and a family reunion in a pickup.  (Sold in 2003 and replaced with folding layout.)  My Railking passenger set with added passengers was ideal for the double helix.

This folding layout, Modern Disappearing Train Layout, was built to haul in my '92 Bronco and I could put on a "really good show" with the two different Caterpillar sets.  One Railking set would enter the tunnel and the other set would exit the tunnel.  Kids figured out there were two different trains before the adults.

Folding Layout Set Up for Running

Alternating Caterpillar Sets

Gentlemen,

   I keep and run them all, Scale is just one of the many different sizes on my Christmas Child like wonder land layout, from Tin Plate to modern scale, it's all great!

PCRR/Dave

I have Ø108" and Ø99" curves, I am happy with and will have only 18" passenger cars. No interest at all in the 21" variety.

Alex

Depends on the road name. Some will not be made again like K line made. Others will be made over and over again.

I am not selling my 18 inch SP daylight cars for 21 inch cars. But I do look forward to newly released 21 inch cars being released in other road names.

I have several sets of 18" cars and I am happy with them.  I also have the Neil Young Texas Special set (15" I believe.) 21" cars would look too long and out of place on my layout.

Depends on how you enjoy the hobby.  If you like scale equipment, once you buy your first set of scale cars, you will never go back to the shorter cars.

I had two sets of the 15" aluminum K-Line passenger cars (PPR and B&O).  However, once I got my scale SGL Reading Turtleback bimps, the semi-scale cars time was limited, as I keep all of my cars on the layout and the semi-scale looked out of place with the scale passenger cars.  Once 3rd Rail announced the B&O Columbian set, I sold the K-Line 15" cars.  After that, I got the 3rd Rail Train of Tomorrow set.  I love all three of these sets as they are prototypical of the real cars (the model train hobby got me interested in the real thing.)

On the other hand, if you enjoy the hobby and don't give a fig about railroad fidelity, then the colorful semi-scale generic cars can bring you a lot of joy (and at a fraction of the price of the scale cars!   )

Neither approach is better.  Individually, we need to make the decision for ourselves.

Jim

For many layouts 21 inch cars are too long. I'm happy with the shorter ones.

Rocky Mountaineer posted:

 Otherwise 15" or 18" passenger cars with detail will suit me just fine. 

David

Ditto....

I have sold most of my non scale passenger cars.  As noted by others, scale does not equate to 21" always.  As for look on curves, I see the scale of the car as being more important personally as that is what I'm normally watching when I'm running my train. 

I don't own any 21" cars, I have tons of 18" cars and a sprinkling of the smaller cars, especially in specialty sets like the Polar Express (traditional converted to TMCC), and the Hogwarts set.  Of course, there's the Phantom set as well...  I just picked up the RailKing Reading Crusader set, as soon as I get it converted to TMCC, I'll have more "shorties" riding the rails.

I will gladly take any K-line or Lionel UP 18" aluminum cars off someones hands for the right price  

I have and had on my last layout at least 072 curves and still went for K-line 15 inch cars, both modern and heavy weight. K-line at the time I bought them were the only cars with full interior and passengers. My new layout has wider curves with one corner exception that is 072. For me I think 21 inch cars don't look good on 072. I kind of wish I went for 18 inch cars from the start but I have to many 15 inch cars to switch now. Don

Me, I prefer the 15" (60') scale-girth cars, even if the prototypes were actually longer than 60'. There were 60' real cars, of course.

Why? In the "real" world of my "fake" world (the layout), even my 072 version, the 15" cars look impressive and accurate, except for the length, and on corners they look better than the 18" and especially the 21" versions.

I have a beautiful set of K-line 21" aluminum, ATSF cars - but as time has gone by, I often wish that I had gotten the 15" versions, which K-line also offered, I believe.

So, the new long cars are not on my list; in fact, if I ever see a set of K-line ATSF 15" aluminum cars, I might spring for them and sell the 21" versions. Maybe.

I have many 18 inch cars.  I have most of  the K-Line 21 inch cars and all the Lionel 21 inch cars on order.   I recently picked up the C&O and Texas Special 21 inch Lionel cars and give them high marks.  I am big on passenger cars and thankful Lionel is doing the Freedom Train.  I have a good selection of GGD cars.  Those are beautiful cars.  No Atlas.  I love the cars but not the finish.  If they plated them like MTH did, I would go broke as they are well built cars.

Does anyone have photos of some of the 2nd generation  20" Weaver cars with interiors and passengers? When were they first introduced that way?  I assume that the early Williams and Weaver 20" aluminum cars with silhouettes were made by the same company?

Did Weaver use the same company when they upgraded to full interiors and passenger figures?

Any info will be appreciated... 

I have a pair MTH 15 inchers(pretty indifferent to them although the passengers are beautifully done) . . .

four MTH 18 inchers . . .

I love these 18 inchers and would like a few more, if MTH would make them . . . . . but the pride of the fleet are 10 (soon to be eleven) GGD 21 inchers . . .

The shorties are confined to 072. The 21 inchers on O-96, 0-108 and O-120 except for an O-80 hidden in a tunnel.

All have been converted to Kadees after these shots were taken to catalog them. I'm not selling any of them.