A heavyweight champ. The cars are based on a prototype built to Baltimore & Ohio specifications, designated by Pullman as plan 2882-B. The car has been offered in HO scale by other manufacturers, and brass car sides have been offered in N scale, but this is the first ready-to-run N scale model of the coach.
Thanks to steel rationing in World War II and the booming demand for passenger service after the war, many of these cars saw service long into the steam-to-diesel transition era. While some were relegated to branch lines or commuter service, others were modernized with smooth sides, closed vestibules, and streamlined roofs.
The models. Our samples are painted for Southern Pacific and Pullman pool service. The SP version has lettering for subsidiary Texas & New Orleans, as well as car no. 403, and is painted what Micro-Trains called “SP Daylight Olive Green.” The Pullman-decorated car (shown above) is painted darker Pullman Green. Both paint jobs were smooth and even, and both cars bore gold lettering that was straight, crisp, and opaque.
I wasn’t able to put my hands on a copy of Pullman plan no. 2882-B. But the cars resembled a photo of a B&O paired-window coach in an advertisement for Pullman passenger cars that I found in the 1931 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia of American Practice (Simmons-Boardman). Though the number and position of the vents on the roof differed, the model did feature a molded drip rail above the doors, as on the prototype. The six-wheel trucks in the prototype photo were a match to the model’s, down to the brake shoe hangers.
The models include Micro-Trains’ new medium-profile wheels, which means they should have no problem on code 55 track. All the wheels were in gauge. Likewise, the Micro-Trains magnetic knuckle couplers were mounted at the correct height. The cars tracked well around the 11″-radius superelevated curves on our Salt Lake Route project layout in spite of the cars’ length.
A welcome addition. These new cars are a great supplement to Micro-Trains’ recent releases of Pullman heavyweights. The common, versatile coaches will let N scale modelers of the 1930s through 1960s easily expand their passenger consists.
Find more N scale product reviews, track plans, and videos at the Model Railroader N scale page.
Price: $22.70
Manufacturer
Micro-Trains Line Co.
351 Rogue River Parkway
Talent, OR 97540
micro-trains.com
Road names: Canadian Pacific, Pullman, Southern Pacific (Texas & New Orleans), Union Pacific
Era: 1930 to 1960s
Features
- Body-mounted magnetic knuckle couplers, mounted at correct height
- Detailed underbody
- Molded plastic interior
- Plastic wheelsets, in gauge
- Weight: 11⁄2 ounces (Correct per National Model Railroad Association RP-20.1)
For more N scale product reviews, track plans, and videos, visit the Model Railroader N scale page.
This car has been released by Micro-trains in a Baltimore and Ohio paint scheme of blue and grey. It is a welcome addition for B&O modellers. Two road numbers were released in the same month; hope that additional road numbers in the series will be added in the near future.
This offer of heavyweight cars from MT has come to be an instant success with N scale modelers. If they would only offer a closer coupling position as an option… A simple hole ready for tapping with the MT tap located about 1.25 mm inboard.
Serious modelers using 9-3/4" curves cannot be found anymore and collectors do not run their cars. Minimum radius acceptable today is 11" and even PECO's C-55 small radius switch has a diverging curve of exactly 12".
The cars look and roll so fantastically that nothing can compare to them in quality, detail and price. And, oh yeah MT, kindly release a diner so the ol' RR stand ins (except for AT&SF) may enjoy a well deserved honorable retirement.
Yep needs Heavyweight diner.
Yep needs Heavyweight diner.
I agree with Richard with the inclusion of a diner would be
the one largest contribution that micro trains could make at this time. I was also disappointed with the spaceing of the couplers. My solution is to move the coupler back 3/64 in.,
and drill and tap for 00-90 screw. Some cases require the addition of small bits of plastic glued in place for support of the new threads but it works and I have no trouble on the 11 in. radius curves on my layout. It is important to file the trip pin flush with the top of the coupler for clearance and reliable operation.
As beautiful and welcome as this series of heavyweight cars is (would love to see a heavyweight diner), I would have preferred that the cars couple a little more prototypically, i.e., closer. I know that the diaphragms cannot actually touch because that would prohibit operation on almost any curve radius, but Microtrains has managed very prototypical spacing between lightweight cars, freight cars and diesel units with their terrific coupler system. FYI, I have managed to close the distance on these beauties with the use of Unimate 1060 couplers with their mounting holes reamed wider with a round file so that they can fit over the boss in the coupler pocket. This works well on almost any radius curve, but could pose a problem if encountering a short S-curve that has no straight section in the middle. One should never construct an S curve without one, even if you only run 40-foot boxcars.