GGD Sleepers Arrive

Butch, That is GREAT NEWS. I just check my tracking number and they are "out for delivery" so by the time I run out for a few mins I am hoping they will be here. I ordered the CN version and I was so glad to hear your write up above about how nice they are. I hope people will post pictures of the various road names. Thanks for your posting. Bill

Very true... and that's saying a LOT!!!  I first saw a complete 12-car set of GGD cars (Pennsy Congressionals) at Beth Marshall's booth at York last year, and I was VERY impressed.

One of these days I may have to try a set -- even though I've otherwise standardized my passenger-car buying to those in the 18" category.  Perhaps I'll do something along the lines of NP, since I don't have that roadname in 18" yet.  Problem is GGD doesn't always appear to issue their cars in complete sets.  Sometimes they offer groups of cars, and other times they offer cars for sale individually at widely different times.  So it may take awhile to build a complete train.  Is that their norm?  Or is that the exception?

David

David,

GGD has done the following streamlined equipment as "sets" so to speak:

- NYC Empire State Express

- NYC 1938 20th Century Limited

- NYC 1940 20th Century Limited

- NYC 1948 20th Century Limited

- PRR 1948 Broadway Limited

- PRR Congressional

- Santa Fe Chief

- CP Canadian (coming soon)

- SP Daylight

 All of the above have been offered in 4 to 6 car packages to permit buyers to choose the length of train they desire. In all cases the cars have been available for a specific train at the same time except the B&O Columbian which is split in to set A of just coaches and set B of the other 4 cars which will be built at a later date. The sleepers are the only GGD streamlined cars that have been offered separately.

Heavyweight cars have been offered in both packages and as individual cars to meet market demand.

The K- Line cars were a giant step forward in terms of affordable good looking models.  I agree that the Sunset versions are about double the value for the money.  In some ways I wish I had waited, but I spent enjoyable hobby hours fixing underframes and replacing trucks, so I am personally set for life.  I suspect that these are the last of economically produced short run O Scale passenger cars.  Get them while you can.  Opinion.

My CN GGD CARS ARRIVE A BIT AGO. I will try and get some pictures in a little while.

I agree Bob.  I was very happy with my K-Line 21" cars and at the time they were the cats meow. I think I paid roughly about the same for the K-Lines as I did the GGD's. The K-Lines still command this kind of money (or more) on the secondary market. 

These GGD cars are a real bargain.

Butch  

photos please.

I've never posted photos before so we'll see how this goes.  Looks simple enough......but sometimes therein lies the problem. 

Butch

I ordered Kadees from GGD when I ordered the cars and I assume they are made for these cars. I also purchased several packs of GGD "little people" in case I want to increase the passenger load. All in all a great experience with GGD on some very nice cars. Glad I didn't procrastinate when they were announced.

Butch

I took some pictures of one of my GGD CN SLEEPERS. They are a very nice set of cars.

Very nice cars guys!!

Bill, I really like the colors on that car...WOW!

Alan

Alan thank you. I hope that others that got the new GGD sleepers would mention what road name they got.

Thanks again Alan.

Bill...you are most welcome.  I had ordered the 12 car set of the Congressionals from Bob at AMHobbies but when they finally arrived, Bob was gone and the price that was agreed upon as I understood it could not be honored so I passed them up.....I have no idea now how much per car these cost....

I am still very happy with my K-Line cars but perhaps someday if someone wants to sell a set of the Congo cars, and I can afford them, I will add them to the roster....

Alan

Alan as you must know most of my engines are CN/GTW with some ATSF of the older E&F Diesels and some steam. All of my passenger cars for the ATSF are 21" K-Line Hi & Lo levels.

My CN/GTW Passenger cars are all MTH both Stream line and HW's. I now have a few GGD streamline CN and some HW's in GTW.

I also was able to place and order for the next run of the CN 85' coaches. I hope to find some of the CN GGD 10-6 Sleepers that were just shipped today.

Just received a 2-rail 10-6 and 4-4-2 (both are Pullman) here in Maryland today.  I agree that GGD did a superb job with these cars; I'm of the opinion that except for cars done in brass there isn't anything available that is as good. 

I rechecked my cars and the trucks that came on mine, while very detailed, aren't sprung; did GGD possibly make two versions?

Paul

They look sweet. I'm really looking forward to getting my N&W 10-6 cars. I'll post photos here when I get them.

There is only one version of truck. The springs are real but not functional.

Smart.  You get a stronger truck, and at lower cost.  I absolutely love the CN colors.

Please post a photo of the truck?

My mistake Paul.  I didn't compress the trucks only saw the real springs rather than cast springs and made an assumption.....you know what they say about assumptions.  But, they are still some very nice trucks.

Butch

thanks! they look great

No problem Butch, I actually made the same mistake when I first received my '48 20th Century Set.  The trucks looked so realistic that until I pushed on the wheels I didn't realize they weren't 'sprung'.

I just thought that maybe GGD had gone the next step and went to sprung trucks and that maybe my sleepers simply wound up with the older version.

Paul

The GGD trucks are not planned to ever be sprung primarily due to cost.

When the next run of coaches is done there will be extra trucks available for $70 per pair retail. If they were sprung the cost would be much higher and would push the GGD cars in to a price bracket beyond GGD"s targeted market.

bob2 here are some truck pic's

They are sweet, I got mine. THANK YOU SCOTT!

Good job!

My mini-review... 

Never mind the 3rail aspect.. 

OK- I found the cars simply wonderful especially considering the price. Sunset states "Brass quality or detail" and I agree with that and disagree with that. But at the price I agree they are in a market all their own. I absolutely love GGD's heavyweight 12-1, 8-1-2 sleepers..(MORE PLEASE! 10-1-2, 8-5, 14 section, 16 section, etc) the coaches and head end cars are not as successful and require some work to get them fine scale IMHO. 

I agree with Bob2, his "opinion" is really right. These models are absolutely wonderful for the money. Never before in o scale such beauty and accuracy for under $200!

I got my paws on both the 10-6 and the 4-4-2 and they both represent the cars in later years after 1949; skirts removed and modernized trucks. There is a bit of creative approach since some of the cars are not correct for all roads offered. The window frame technique using silver print screening is clever and a nice touch. I do not like the high water pants on the ends but I am willing to live with it. Ultimately if Sunset wants to call these "brass or better than brass" they still need to look at Walthers, MTH, and Blueprint Series in HO. These models are "brass quality" in a plastic model. Looking at our O scale market driven by lobster claw couplers and O-72 track I am not surprised but at the same time despite this issue I AM pleasantly surprised at the wonderful quality of model we have here. I say it I mean it, I love them.

Please forgive the crappy photos; I am in Iowa with family and away from the studio. I will do some comparison shots with brass alternatives and some suggestions when I get home. 

I shot these while in Rochester Minnesota at a friends place. 

I am not happy with my TTG cars fit and finish.. Some of the striping midway down the car is missing, scratched off..  Otherwise its GRRRREEAT!

I hope no one has taken my 'gone the next step' as a criticism of the GGD trucks.  I feel that at their current price point the GGD cars are a great value and would not expect 'sprung' trucks.

Just to illustrate the high level of detail of the GGD trucks I've included (if my first attempt to attach photos works) some photos of the 41-N trucks by GGD, Pecos River Brass and a built-up PSC kit. 

The PRB trucks are the same as used on John's 1938 El Capitan set.  Also, for some reason I can't remember, I never got around to mounting the brake shoes on the PSC truck.

Paul

Paul,

Most of the PRB trucks were a mess especially on the 51' SC sets Ugh. They were undercut repops of OCS Wasatch trucks. I'm planning on putting Wasatch trucks on my sleepers for many reasons not as much about lack of detail but running qualities and bearings. The GGD trucks are spectacular. I really like them and the springs are not functional but look right giving a nice filigree appearance I like.  

I hope you can fix your photos they sound exciting.