Running 60 foot and 72 foot passenger cars in same consist? Yes or no?

Your RR, your rules.

Try it, If it looks good to you, thats what really counts. even in the scale models you have different length rolling stock. Baggage cars are usually shorter ?  

If it feels good, it is good....

Everyone is right that it is a personal choice, but I have made the same mistake as the OP and I personally don't like the mix.  To me it looks odd, also scale passenger cars with semi scale engines looks odd.  I've made even more mistakes than this, but I wont hijack the thread.  I'm in the process of divesting some cars to solve these issues. 

We intentionally run different lengths, 60' 72' and 80' in the same train. Just like the railroads when they ran  passenger trains.  John in Lansing, ILL

Burlington Quincy posted:

Hi all!  I have the Williams CB&Q California Blackhawk set in 60 ft w/ABA P3(?). I picked up 3 new coaches and inadvertently bought 72 ft. Can I / should I, run them together?  I was thinking of putting the three long coaches behind the baggagecar, and then the rest of the train behind.  Thoughts??

I run 60' and 72' streamlined passenger consists all the time. I try to put the 60 foot cars between the 72 foot cars, so no two 60 footers are adjacent.

If you don't specifically look for the short ones, the whole consist looks like 72 footers.

you will find many prototype consists throughout history that gave little care to matching car lengths.  baggage and headend cars were typically shorter than coaches, diners were sometimes articulated to simulate a longer car and observation cars were often a bit longer.  early in the streamline era, heavyweight cars were sometimes found mixed in.

with tinplate the only odd looking consists occur when mixing scale with semi-scale.  these cars vary in width and a mix of these different scales will be visually distracting.

I do it all the time!

Peter

It's your railroad and you run what you like!

Are any of the 15" cars scale length? What I mean is, I had researched this for PRR and couldn't find that there were any 60' cars (aside from perhaps 19th century, or sort of one offs).  Curouis about other railroads. 

Many RPO cars and baggage cars are 60' long.

Oh yes, I meant passenger cars.

I agree with some of the others, it's your RR, your the Big Wig, you run them how you see fit.  Not exactly sure what time period these are from but if you go back and check out some of the You-Tube videos, you'll find some mixed consists running.  When the RR's started to downsize some of the passenger service, you would always see mixed length and even style cars in the consists.  Whatever floats your boat.

Thanks everyone for your input!  I’m a member of the Chicagoland LIONEL Railroad Club and ran the CB&Q consist at our open house yesterday. I put the 72 ft coaches behind the combo car and they fit right in. Af over 15 feet total length, I got lots of compliments on the train. Next time I run it I’m going to try mixing them every-other car in the middle of the consist. Thanks again!

I say DON'T DO IT...it will give the rivet counters and curtain police migraine headaches....next thing ya know baggage cars will be in the wrong place....and dogs and cats living in harmony....yikes!