# AMS J&S coach compared to LGB coach



## VTRRLoco18 (Jan 6, 2008)

Some time back there was a post comparing an AMS Jackson & Sharp coach with an LGB coach (3080) (It could have been a Bachmann J&S coach). The post included a picture comparison with the two coaches next to each other. Could someone direct me to that post or would the poster post the pictures again. I'm trying to decide whether to get a couple of J&S coaches when the new batch comes in early next year. Thanks


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I have some pictures comparing them in the following thread.

Accucraft and LGB coach pictures 

Scroll down through the tread as the pictures you want are in my second submission. There are other comparison pictures further down in the thread as well.


Chuck


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## VTRRLoco18 (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks Chuck. WOW The AMS coach dwarfs the LGB coach.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

WOW The AMS coach dwarfs the LGB coach. 

Them AMS coaches dwarf everything - including a lot of locomotives!


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

These coaches are big. They are built to scale. The LGB coaches were built to run on 4' diameter curves behind engines that would do the same. the LGB cars are shorter, count the windows. I really like the Accucraft cars and now I rarely run my LGB coaches. 

It all depends on the size of your layout and the other engines and cars that you will be running. If you have a smaller layout with less than 10' diameter curves I'd go with LGB. If you are building something larger, I'd go with the Accucraft.

Chuck


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Marty, NTCGRR, built some very nice cars out of Aristo shorties.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By VTRRLoco18 on 27 Oct 2009 03:21 PM 
Thanks Chuck. WOW The AMS coach dwarfs the LGB coach. 
It should given the scale differences. AMS uses the correct 1:20.3 scale for 3 foot narrow gauge on G gauge track. LGB is roughly 1:22.5 which is more of a European narrow gauge for G gauge track. 

And remember LGB coaches are not the right length as they are compressed significantly when compared to a true 1:22.5 scale D&RGW style coach.


Take a look at this impressive comparison photo by Bary Boggs who scratchbuilt a true 1:22.5 scale baggage car and placed it next to the comparable LGB version:











Nope that scratchbuilt baggage is not 1:20.3 as you might suspect. It's the same scale as the LGB baggage...1:22.5. This shows just how much compression LGB gave to their models. I would love to see Barry's baggage car next to an Accucraft 1:20.3 baggage. I'd bet the size differences would not be as dramatic.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt:

I think that we all agree that the LGB passenger cars are compressed. Until, you showed Barry's baggage car, I had no idea how much. 

When I received my Accucraft K-27 shortly after it was released, I was floored by how much it didn't go with any rolling stock that I had. I knew the LGB passenger cars probably wouldn't look nice, but I was really amazed that the freight cars appeared dwarfed by the engine. I had for many years mixed and matched LGB (1/22.5), Delton and USA (1/24) with out any shock to the eyeballs. The difference between 1/22.5 and 1/24 is a shade under 10%. The difference between 1/22.5 and 1/20.3 is a shade over 10%. I didn't think that the difference would be that great, it is real and noticeable, I couldn't believe how noticeable it was. 

I can run a train made up with LGB, Delton, and USA at the same time as I run a train made up of Accucraft. Running separately, it isn't a visual fingernail on a blackboard, but mixing the cars in a single train sends me into the house screaming.

I can pull my 1/20.3 cars with an LGB engine, Mogul, Uintah, or Sumpter Valley, and the contrast isn't that noticeable. I have a lot of books with picture of small engines pulling larger cars. It just doesn't seem to work the other way. 

Chuck N


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## Ted Yarbrough (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck, 
I feel exactly the same. I run the 1:24 and 1:22 together and they look great. However, 1:22 and 1:20 do not work together. There is roughly the same difference in numerical size between them, but much more noticeable visible difference in the larger. Guess I'll stay in 1:22. 
Several years ago, LGB Telegram ran an article about making the coaches the correct length. It was very good, unfortunately, I am not much of a kitbasher.


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## VTRRLoco18 (Jan 6, 2008)

Does anyone know what the AMS (Accucraft) J&S coaches and combines scale out to in length. I've looked many places and haven't seen any 1:1 dimensions.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,

They should be over the body, not the full length with the end platforms, 37foot' 9.5 inches according to the folio for them - they have 12 windows and a blank space where a window was. The combine has a blank window part and then a 7 window section then the baggage compartment for the other half. 

In inches the coach overall length of 26 inches not including the couplers, width is 5 inches.


They are long and with new (Galline) sides can make a baggage car, but not the RPO which is varying lengths according to the time you are modelling.

Bachmann coaches are just short of 19 inches long and 4 inches wide.

I do not have a LGB coach to measure it 


The best source fo details of D&RG coaches is the Colorado Rail Annual 25, which list the lot, it is a very useful book; the Colrado Railroad Museum should have a copy.

Yours Peter.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

According to my book "Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Varnish" by H. Bannerman the J&S coaches and combines represented by Accucraft are 38'5" long. That is the car body not including the platform and steps. My accucraft coach and combine are 22.75 inches long. That works out to a 1:1 length of 38.49'. That is pretty d**n close.

The LGB coach and combine are 14.75" long. This scales out to the prototype length of 27.66' (1:22.5) or 29.5' (1:24). Since their Colorado NG freight cars are really 1:24 I have included that scale as well.

Chuck


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By VTRRLoco18 on 06 Nov 2012 02:20 PM 
Does anyone know what the AMS (Accucraft) J&S coaches and combines scale out to in length. I've looked many places and haven't seen any 1:1 dimensions. 
Comparison photo of my LGB coaches and my AMS J&S coaches.


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## VTRRLoco18 (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks to all


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

The book I used is the same one Peter mentioned. Chuck


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