# Accucraft J&S arrived!



## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I just unpacked the new Accucraft J&S coaches.  They are very nice looking and will be a significant addition to the railroad.  They do not roll as freely as the San Juan cars.  The brass springs that are used to pick up the current for the lights add a lot of friction.   I'm going to bend them back for better rolling as I really don't need the lights.







































I'll let a rivet counter do a detailed review of the pros and cons, but for my money they are an excellent product and look very nice behind the Bachmann K.

Thanks to Rich Niemeyer for helping me to post the pictures.  I forgot that you can't have a open space in the user name.

Cheers,

Chuck N


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## jwvine29 (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Nice!


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck,

They look very nice! I see you got #306. The Chili Line car. What is the other number? My son and I are just going out the door to pick-up my two, #280 and #306. I don't see marker lights. Does it come with these?
As far as the rolling quality, you might want to contact Phil's Narrow Gauge about doing the re-bearing work on the trucks. As soon as I get my cars home, I'm going to remove the trucks and send them off to be reworked. You will be very satisfied with his work.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Gary 
From the AMS web site ==> Jackson & Sharp Plastic Coach - D&RGW Green 4 car set 
(#256, #280, #304, #306) 

Chuck got #256 and #306, I kept #280 and #304. He should pose one of those cars with an LGB open platform car just to show the real difference between them [ besides the color]. 

Cheers 
Jim


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Sweet! They look great with the Bachmann K-27! 

For the rolling issue, you could try a dab of wd-40 on the brass springs, I did this with the AMS Caboose and it helped tremendously and didn't interfere with the electrical.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary and Jim:

I know that the Accucraft website mentioned marker lights, but they aren't on these coaches.  I wondered all along whether or not they would be there as each coach in a train wouldn't have the lights!

Here are some comparison pictures.



















Chuck N


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## Rich Niemeyer (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck,
    Thanks for posting the pics.  They look great.  I suspected they would be larger than LGB coaches, but there is really a significant difference!  Between  the AMS cars (freight stock as well as the new coaches) and the new K-27, the overall appearance is going to be outstanding.  
     It's clear in my case, I've alot of bridge work to do to get this 1:20 scale stuff to squeeze through.  /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/crazy.gif  What's your opinion of the inside detail?  Another thought.  You might want to try some electrically conductive lube on the pickup springs to see if that will ease rolling.  Seems a shame not to see the interior lighting during the evening or at dusk.

    Guess I'm on the way to Albquerque this weekend to get mine.


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Wow, nice lookin' cars. Thanks for sharing the pics.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow!! The anticipation is building!!! Mine should be here in two days! Thanks for giving us the pics!/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

We just got back from Jonathan's place. The cars are beautiful! AND no, they don't have marker lights. It wouldn't be difficult to add them. I purchased a set of markers from Trackside Details. I'm going to see how they would look. I haven't unpacked the cars yet. When I do, I'll get some pix. Jonathan said he shipped quite a few out this week, as far as Denver, mostly up and down  California. He HAD 28 cases he said! Thank you for the comparison pix of the Accucraft and LGB cars. I have some LGB and I'll see for myself tomorrow. 

I put my deposit down on a Accucraft C19 Moffat green #346 and I'll have to wait a few weeks for that delivery. Bummer!/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/wow.gif This is like Christmas morning.


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## itsmcgee (Jan 4, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

hope mine come soon. thanks for all the pics. It"s a great time to be part of the industry


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## Bret W Tesson (Jan 6, 2008)

Can anyone tell me if these cars have the newer wheel tread shape (like the new logging cars) or the older style with virtually no fillet (box cars, flat cars, etc.).  I have found that the logging cars track much nicer and are far less likely to derail than the other stock.  I'm hoping AMS put the newer style on these cars.

Bret


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

I haven't checked the wheel profile. Everything is put away for the moment--rain,snow,sleet due in here tomorrow. I can say that they ran around my layout without any problems. That was not the case with the early AMS cars. I had to do a lot of tweaking with the wheels on my early cars to get them to go around once without derailing. This was especially true with the box cars and the tank car. I never had any problems with the reefers, flats, and gons. 

But it did take me 2 years before I could get the Accucraft K-28 to go around once with out coming off the tracks!! 

Chuck N


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## carpenter matt (Jan 3, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

It seems to me the ride height on these new cars are a little high, maybe it's just me. Seems a little needs taken out of the bolster.  Very nice looking cars none the less! great addition to 1:20.3!


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## norman (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi Chuck:

Could you later post side and top aerial view comparison photos of the Accucraft J&S coach with the Bachmann J&S coach and the Aristo Craft 1:29 scale standard gauge heavy weight car?

Thank you
Norman


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Norman: 

I would if I could, but I can't. I don't have any Bachmann coaches and I don't know anyone in the area who does.  I will try to take some pictures of an Aristo heavyweight and the Accucraft coach.

I think that the aristos are longer, narrower and lower.

Chuck N


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Norman:

Here are the comparison pictures with an Aristocraft heavyweight.  The Aristos are indeed longer, lower, and narrower.



































Hope this helps.  Sorry I can't show the Bachmann coaches.

Chuck N


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## Bret W Tesson (Jan 6, 2008)

I spoke with Chris at Accucraft yesterday about the wheel flange question I submitted earlier.  He confirmed that these new cars along with all NEWLY produced rolling stock are supposed to be fitted with the improved wheel sets (larger fillet).  This is great news as the new wheels track much better and are far less likely to derail.  He also said the new ball bearing wheels have also had the wheel flange modified. 

Bret


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Two different scales on one gauge: 









Two different gauges, one scale: 








_Bob Richardson Photo, Denver Public Library collection_ 

(I tripped on the above image yesterday while researching a story I'm working on, and thought it was a neat comparison. Didn't think I'd be able to use it so quickly.) 

Incidentally, the B'mann passenger cars are virtually the same size as the LGB cars, maybe a touch longer, but that's it. 

Later, 

K


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Kevin:

Thanks for the picture.  It really shows the difference in gauge.

Next time we get our knickers in a knot on answering the scale/gauge questions, just show those pictures.  

As they say, "*one picture is worth a thousand words*".

Chuck N


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

These comparison photos, do indeed, show just how massive these narrow gauge cars are!


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## chama (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Actually, I think it proves how puny those standard gauge cars are! 

3' > 4' 8-1/2"


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

What it _really_ does is define in no uncertain terms why we can't call everything running on 45mm track "G Scale!" That picture comparison of kevin's makes the case more eloquently than any argument _we_ could devise!


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## norman (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi Chuck and Bret:

Thank you for posting the heavyweight photos. Shows really how large the Accucraft cars are. A 1:20.3 standard gauge heavyweight would be absolutely massive.

Norman


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Kevin and All:

Here is a picture from John Norwood's book ,  "*Rio Grande Narrow Gauge*".  It was published in 1983 and I use the book constantly for informaton.  It has many tables of car and engine numbers as well as many excellent and informative pictures and text.  I have always been fasinated by this picture comparing standard and narrow gauge 1:1 boxcars.










Chuck N


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## eddie (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

very very nice...


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

There is a discussion started on the Yahoo 1/20.3 group about the gap under the door at each end of the cars. Anyone noticed this?/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/ermm.gif


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Anyone know how to remove the roof to add passengers?


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By jimtyp on 01/22/2008 10:27 AM
Anyone know how to remove the roof to add passengers?


_There was a "Masterclass" at Rog's place on Saturday, where he stripped one down so they could see how it worked (I had to leave before it happened.)  The One20point3 email group posted the results:
_
From William Cole: 
> turn car upside down...get screwdriver, place correct
> end of driver on screw, turn counterclockwise and
> remove screws....then spread car side remove
> underframe, then metal piece then interior
> floor...pretty simple...


Posted By gary Armitstead on 01/22/2008 12:55 AM
There is a discussion started on the Yahoo 1/20.3 group about the gap under the door at each end of the cars. Anyone noticed this?


From Roger Cutter:
Bill stole my thunder. To get rid of the gap under the door. Remove all 3
layers of floor and then trim the end of the interior floor so it does NOT
slide under the tabs at the ends of the car. Not necessary anywhere else.
Now the end of the car (platform) can be raised up and the gap closed.
Finally glue a piece of .030 shim stock under the lip at each end of the
sill casting, where it slips into the side of the car. This will force the
ends of the sills up into place the the platform gap will be gone.

_One thing not mentioned above is that the sides of the cars are separate pieces.  It seems AMS can replace the sides with a Combine, or full baggage, or anything else that J&S built on the same frame._/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Thanks Pete! Good design by Accucraft, should make the combine and baggage pretty quick to market, I'd like to get one of each.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Pete. The info is appreciated


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## norman (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi There:

Could someone post interior and under carriage photos of the coach. I did not notice the platform gap under the end doors until someone mentioned the fix.

Thank you
Norman


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## railgeek (Jan 15, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

for free rolling with lighting, remove the brass contacts and add .015 phosfer bronze wire to the inside of each axle. works wonders


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

*RE: Accucraft J&S arrived!*

Man I gotta get one of those cars!


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## jlyans (Jan 2, 2008)

I just got finished eliminating the gap under the doors on an Accucraft J&S coach.  I figured out where to trim the little square off of the four corners of the inner, red oxide colored floor. (Just underneath the "ears" that protrude from the side of the car). That lets the frame and end platform slide all of the way up to the bottom of the door, eliminating the gap.  To hold the platform up tight against the bottom of the end wall, I used the suggested .030" shims glued into the groove on the bottom of the side walls. This was not enough and I had to pull those shims out and put in .060" shims. That worked perfectly and everything is nice and tight now with no gap. While I had the car apart I decided to do some painting on the interior. I left the seats the red oxide color but painted all of the seat frames/armrests with an acrylic flat black. I'm not sure I would want to do that on a whole string of these cars. I also painted the stoves black, the water cooler an aluminum color and added some printed signs to the frames that are already cast on the bulkheads. I also painted the trucks and end platforms/railings a much darker shade of green,  almost black, to give the car some contrast.  I'm still thinking about what I want to do to the roof and to the electrical pickups on the trucks.

This is a fantastic looking car. It's nice to finally have an affordable Rio Grande coach.  The Accucraft San Juan cars are beautiful but they are heavier than I prefer and more expensive than I prefer. This car works out great!

John


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks John for the suggestions on the J&S cars and the painting tips. I love these cars!


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