# AMS Jackson & Sharp passenger cars



## HampshireCountyNarrowGage (Apr 4, 2012)

As I have modeled in On2 modeling the Maine Two-footer and now model Californa three footers in Fn3, I am not all that familiar with the D&RG J & S passenger cars. Having come across a really good buy, I have purchased a AMS J & S combine and have ordered a coach. My question is, are these cars sitting higher on the trucks than the prototype does? I've googled images on on these cars and even the HO models seam to be sitting lower than the AMS cars do. The couplers appear to be mounted lower on the car than their are on the prototype. I will replacing the couplers with Accucraft 1:32 couplers to comply with the rest of my equipment and I'm thinking of lowering the body while I'm at it. Am I correct?

Thanks.


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

I "never"..use other models as a guide towards prototype practices...

Only documentation or photos of the real deal..

Makes life a lot easier.....

Dirk - DMS Ry.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Chester,

I have Tim Molina's book on J&S DRGW coaches #280 and #284 (bay window) and Narrow Gauge Varnish. #24 by Colorado Railroad Museum and the models sit exactly as the prototype. One suggestion I would have would be to add ball-bearing wheels to these cars. They do NOT roll easy and these are heavy cars at 7 pounds each.


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## HampshireCountyNarrowGage (Apr 4, 2012)

Thank you Gary for the information. As for the ball bearings, I'm only going to have a combine and a coach which will be pulled by my LS 4-4-0. I think it'll be ok.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

> My question is, are these cars sitting higher on the trucks than the prototype does?


 They may be prototypically correct but you may prefer to remove the 'spring' on top of the truck that the body rests on. Then remove material off the truck boss (belt sander) to lower the mounting. All my conversions (to EBT coaches) are like that.

Phil Dippel used to sell an inexpensive ball bearing conversion kit that just drops in - new wheels and bearings. Highly recommended.

Beware the coupler mount. The first run coaches had a simple boss moulded for the coupler screw. They were known to break. (Fix was to cut and glue a plate from styrene that fit between the frames and surrounded the screw mount.) Later runs have a reinforced boss for the screw.


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## Crisolite (Jan 9, 2008)

It depends on how new the cars are if you need ball bearings. I have the combine and three coaches. I have one section on the layout that is a 4% grade on a 12' diameter curve. My 4-4-0 could pull the combine up the hill with a bit of effort. It could not pull any of the coaches up that grade. I put in the ball bearing kit in from Phil's Narrow Gauge in all of the cars and now the 4-4-0's will pull all four cars up that hill with no problem.

I heard that some of the newer cars have better bearings in them, but personally I would look into getting the ball bearings in the future.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Chester, I also recommend the ball bearings; without them, the cars roll like cement blocks. With new bearings, my Accucraft 4-4-0 handles four cars with ease on 2% grades.

I lowered my first production run cars by removing the side-bearing molding and modifying the center plate to drop the body about 3/16", I think. That was back in '08, and there was a thread here about doing that, if it still exists and you can find it.

Regarding ball bearings, I now get mine online from Avid RC Bearings--inexpensive and great service.

Larry

Larry



Larry


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## ORD23 (Jan 2, 2010)

Hi Larry, I just visited the Avid site for the bearing's. Could you tell me what bearing did you buy (size/part #). Thanks for any info.

Ed


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## HampshireCountyNarrowGage (Apr 4, 2012)

Hi guys,
Thanks for all the replys. I guess that I'll have to look into the ball bears. Too many of you have suggested them. And while I've got you attention, what do you all use to remove the lettering without damaging the paint?


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Ed, back then I used bearings from Aristo on my J&S cars. I found AVID later, from someone here, I think.

Larry


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

ORD23 said:


> Hi Larry, I just visited the Avid site for the bearing's. Could you tell me what bearing did you buy (size/part #). Thanks for any info.
> 
> Ed


(Larry probably heard it from me.) I've been using AVID r/c car bearings in all my coaches. The axles are 4mm [?I think - long time since I did one.] I used 7mmOD/4mmID bearings.

The problem is that Accucraft doesn't drill the axle holes in the brass bearing blocks accurately. When you drill with a 7mm to take the new bearing, often the cut will end up out of the side of the block.

Phil's bearing kits solve that problem very neatly, by giving you bearings with 4mm extensions that fit in the existing holes, and new wheels on axles that fit in the new ball bearings outside the blocks.

I should have some pics around here somewhere. . . Ah yes - you can see what happened to the bearing block.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

I used the existing wheelsets, turning down the journals (axle ends) to suit the bearings I had on hand (it's handy to have a lathe available). 

Phil's kits are definitely the way to go for those without shop facilities. Having a nice shop to play in, I tend to do just about everything myself--my favorite part of the hobby.

Larry

Larry


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

If memory serves, those side bearing "plates" were there to try to reduce side-to-side rocking on the prototypes. AMS did a good job of modeling them, but--yes--they do add some height to the cars, as they did on the prototypes.

The stock couplers on the AMS cars are mounted on a 1-1/8" centerline, which is "standard" to match the Kadee "G scale" couplers. Bachmann's 1:20.3 couplers are likewise mounted at this height. Prototypically, that's too low for these cars, whose couplers were mounted at 26" on center (1 1/4" in 1:20.3) 

Like Pete, I removed the bearing plate from my two AMS coaches, which lowered the cars so aesthetically they look "better" or at least more in line with prototypes that didn't have those bearing plates. I'm also using the AMS 1:32 couplers, mounted at a prototypical 24" centerline. (1 3/16") 

Also, I removed the steel plate on the floor of the car to lighten them a bit. It helps. I haven't put Phil's bearings in the trucks yet, since only one of them is close enough to complete to be put in a train. I'm on a passenger car building binge at the moment, though, so I expect that Phil will be getting a call from me in the coming months. I may visit putting bearings in all my passenger trucks. We'll see how my mikado pulls the full train once it's completed. 

Later,

K


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## HampshireCountyNarrowGage (Apr 4, 2012)

Thanks everybody. You've given me plenty of great information that I will heed wisely.


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