# 1/20 scale cars: Accucraft vs. Bachman



## cfra7 (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi,

I plan to order 4 Accucraft J&S coaches next week as they are the only choice when it comes to passenger cars. As for the other types of cars, both Accucraft and Bachmann make 1/20 scale versions. The price seems about the same. Is one better than another? If not, then I'm leaning towards Bachmann for two reasons. The first is the larger flange wheels and the second is you can get more unlettered cars than with Accucraft (such as a caboose). Of course if a mixed train of Bachmann and Accucraft would look strange then I would just stay with Accucraft.


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

What other types of cars are you talking about? I'm curious, because I am shocked that the prices are about the same. I would think the biggest difference might be the trucks and wheels, Which seem to be a much better quality on Accucraft items that I have seen. 

Take care, 
Matt


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## jebouck (Jan 2, 2008)

I have both.
I prefer the Accucraft box cars over the Bachmann box cars.
However, the Bachmann flats are a little better than the Accucrafts. (Accu's tend to sway-back a little)
Bachmann's short hopper is nice. I don't have an Accu long hopper yet, so I can't compare.
Also the three types of Tanks Bachmann produces are nice. The Accu tank represent a more earlier tank.
Bach Low sided gon is nice. The Accu drop bottom Gon is nice.
The Accu reefers, high gons are nice.
The bottom line is they all look and run good together. Both trucks, while a litle different, are good.
So buy what you like and run them.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Do you have to have RTR passenger cars? If not check out http://www.bronson-tate.com/index.shtml for some fine kits. I have several AMS cars and they are great cars. I have looked at the Bachmann ones nd they seem to be nice cars, haven't purchased one yet. 

Chris


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I've not noticed any operational differences between the two, so my advice would be "if you like it, buy it." 

Later, 

K


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## cfra7 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By jebouck on 10 Mar 2012 07:01 PM 
I have both.
I prefer the Accucraft box cars over the Bachmann box cars.
However, the Bachmann flats are a little better than the Accucrafts. (Accu's tend to sway-back a little)
Bachmann's short hopper is nice. I don't have an Accu long hopper yet, so I can't compare.
Also the three types of Tanks Bachmann produces are nice. The Accu tank represent a more earlier tank.
Bach Low sided gon is nice. The Accu drop bottom Gon is nice.
The Accu reefers, high gons are nice.
The bottom line is they all look and run good together. Both trucks, while a litle different, are good.
So buy what you like and run them.


This is good data. Thanks


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## cfra7 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By up9018 on 10 Mar 2012 07:48 PM 
Do you have to have RTR passenger cars? If not check out http://www.bronson-tate.com/index.shtml for some fine kits. I have several AMS cars and they are great cars. I have looked at the Bachmann ones nd they seem to be nice cars, haven't purchased one yet. 

Chris 

Great web site! The car labeled as a caboose seemed wrong but excellent products. I'll need to give them a call.


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## cfra7 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By East Broad Top on 10 Mar 2012 07:48 PM 
I've not noticed any operational differences between the two, so my advice would be "if you like it, buy it." 

Later, 

K 

Thanks. Your advice has always been sound. I need to take a day off work and stop by Accucraft. .


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## curlyp (Sep 4, 2009)

I have a lot of each. I change all of them to Kadee couplers and run them. With the Bachmann they have the journal covers that lift up and give easy access to add a door of oil for lubrication, but the covers pop off easily. Installing kadee couplers is a drop in on the Bachmann. On the Accucraft you may have to ream out the Kadee coupler. The Kadee web site has instructions. "http://www.kadee.com/conv/AMS-Accucraft-Freight-Cars.pdf" I bought a hand reamer instead of using a drill bit, it is easier and cleaner. There is enough difference between to cars to make you train look great. I have not paid list for any of my cars. Check out the different companies that sponsor this website and watch ebay. I would say I probably averaged $50-$60 per car with the exception of the passenger cars.

Have fun 

Paul 
"http://web.mac.com/curlyp/Deis_Family/Garden_Railroad.html"

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css);


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Accu's tend to sway-back a little 
Those flat cars have truss rods that are too tight - but it seems only the early versions were afflicted. There's a thread about flattening the cars - you take off the truck and bolster at one end and unscrew the rods a little, then put it back together. (I can find the thread if you want to read it.) 

I also have a recent flat car and it does not exhibit the same curve - Accu must have corrected the problem. I don't find any differences operationally between the two manufacturers freight cars. 



The car labeled as a caboose seemed wrong 
Welcome to the world of narrow gauge short-line railroads! Some ran their combines on the freight trains instead of a caboose, and called them 'combines'. The East Broad Top did the same but didn't call them combines.


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## gigawat (Apr 4, 2012)

I see that Bachmann has 1:20.3 just like Accucraft... Will a Bachmann car couple with an Accucraft car without any modifications? 
I would like to buy all Accucraft, but they dont' seem to have a lot of variety when it comes to 1:20.3 train cars. 
I just ordered a K-36 Live Steam and I got 4 free stock cars and a caboose... It would be nice to have a couple of different cars... Any thoughts? 
Anybody selling their Accucraft Rolling Stock?


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I mix Bachmann and Accucraft freight cars (all 1:20.3) all the time. The couplers mate well. The Accucraft couplers are correct for the scale, but the Bachmann are a little large. Unless the size difference bothers you (visually), you really don't have to make any changes.

Chuck


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Will a Bachmann car couple with an Accucraft car without any modifications? 
Yep. The couplers are more or less compatible, although the Bachmann coupler itself is a bit boxy-looking. Personally, I'd replace the B'mann couplers with Kadee's "G scale" couplers. Their #916 coupler is a direct swap-out replacement for the Bachmann coupler that uses the stock Bachmann draft gear. 

Later, 

K


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a mixture of Bachmann and AMS cars, and I disagree that they "mate well." Saying they are more or less compatible is probably more accurate. In order for them to couple, the Bachmann knuckle has to be closed, and the AMS knuckle open, and you either have to couple at much higher than prototypical speeds, or couple them by hand, by slamming them into each other. In addition, they tend to uncouple rather easily since the knuckles don't quite fit together corrrectly. 

I would much prefer to have Accucraft couplers on all of my equipment, including the Bachmann, but I haven't quite figured out how to do that yet without major surgery. The coupler pockets are WAY too wide on the K's tender, but the prototype uses exactly the same draft gear and coupler as the AMS cars. 

It's also kind of interesting, the Bachmann uncoupling bars work on the cars, but don't have the chains to connect them to the couplers on the locomotives. 

Robert


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