# AMS Drop Bottom gons.



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Two of the new AMS drop bottom gondolas arrived this past Monday. I 'd have thought that someone would have posted pictures by now, but apparently not. This is more of a show and tell rather than a review.

They are very nice looking cars and there is a lot of detail. Especially, on the rigging for the drop opening mechanism. As others have said, the doors do not open. That is fine with me, as I wouldn't use it and it would just be one more thing to break.


There is wood grain texture on all the boards, inside and out.










Chain detail 











Ratchet Handle 











Brake wheel end view 











Full interior view 











Closeup of interior 











Size in train with AMS gondolas and box cars











They roll very nicely.


Chuck N


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## curlyp (Sep 4, 2009)

Thanks for the pictures, I plan to pick up some at the Southern CA shows this june, 
Paul


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the pics Chuck. Very nice detail. You say they roll nicely. My experience with past AMS has been otherwise. Are these different than past AMS cars or equivalent - rolling wise?


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim:

That is why I made the comment. I had a lot of trouble with the trucks on the early box cars and the tank car. Once I added the side braces to the trucks on those cars and replaced the springs with softer ones I no longer had derailments and rolling resistance. 

Several years ago they redid the truck and changed the profile of the wheel. I haven't had any trouble with the more recent products.

My roadbed is more like a prototypical narrow gauge. A lot of rock and roll. Not high speed modern track. So, it really tests the cars.


Chuck


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## jlyans (Jan 2, 2008)

I will add that the drop-bottom gondolas roll REALLY WELL. The wheel sets have the correct profile, the truck side frames don't bind and the springs are about right. I tested one against a gondola that has ball bearings and while not quite as free rolling as that car, it does come close. The rolling characteristics of the AMS trucks/wheels have been a source of frustration but I think they have finally solved the problem.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Got a pair of Gons from Jonathan yesterday. WOW! They do roll easy. What did they do different, it's like night and day compared to the previous rolling stock? My latest AMS coach had the same wheel flanges (tapered) and my previous rolling stock has the L brackets on the trucks, just like these, but there is definitely something else different. 

The only bad news is I had ordered Ball Bearings in anticipation of having to put them in, now I don't need them.

P.S. I was so excited about how well they roll that I forgot to mention, they have some awesome detail! I plan on using mine to carry ballast.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

They sure look nice.

I guess AMS should do a 6500 series flat next (the fishbelly flats). Then they would have finished up the majority of "modern era" D&RGW narrow gauge rolling stock (Bachmann took care of the tank cars).


You 1:20.3 guys have it too easy


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Yeah, Matt it is nice for us 1:20.3 guys now.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Matt 

I think the "modern" long stock cars ( 5900 series ) would be good too. 

Regards


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt:

I too, have a large collection of LGB, USA, and Delton cars. Had LGB or someone else had brought out a moderately priced K 10 years ago, I probably wouldn't have gone over the the 1:20.3 narrow gauge cars and engines. 


I bought one of the early Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0s and an Accucraft K-27 to pull my 1:22.5 collection. I had been mixing my LGB ("1:22.5") and USA and Delton (1:24) cars for years, without any visual shocks. That's about a 10% difference, so I thought that the "10%" difference between 1:22.5 and 1:20.3 wouldn' t be that noticeable. WRONG!!!



Since I now had engines that didn't look good pulling my collection, I bought some 1:20.3 rolling stock. 

I really couldn't understand why I could mix the LGB with one scale and not with another when the difference in each case was about 10%. It wasn't until this winter that I measured the LGB, USA and Delton cars. It turns out that the LGB cars are the same size as the USA and Delton 1:24 cars. From my measurements the LGB narrow gauge box cars are 1:24, not 1:22.5. This makes the difference about 20%. That is noticeable.



I haven't bought any 1:22.5/1:24 rolling stock in years. I would still buy a 1:22.5 K if someone came out with one that has the detail of a Bachmann K and was similarly priced.


Chuck


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## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

It is a great new car. Accucraft is really turning out some real nice products. It took them awhile but they listen to us and learn how to make better products.


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