Jon Miller says:

Just to stir the pot (VBG) how do you uncouple passenger cars with
Sergents? I know, this is a freight car list so we don't care!

But, note that we include head end cars in the STMFC.

Just to stir the pot (VBG) how do you uncouple passenger cars with
Sergents? I know, this is a freight car list so we don't care!

Gene,

I have found that operations... local switching and way freights...
move at a slower pace than switching with other coupler systems. And
you are correct that the operations must be within easy reach of the
aisle. This means that the train is assembled for the evening's
operations on the on-stage portion of the layout and then backed off-
stage to the staging track complete.

My layout is a switching layout based upon the end of an eastern
Kansas ATSF branch line. Service is a single train down the line and
return to the junction daily except Sunday. With such an operation
there is no "hot shot" to worry about. My train is a mixed train
powered by a motorcar. All consists are less than 1,000 tons.

Hope that the above provides some answers.

Richard, do you have or do you know of any photos of these cars?
I have never seen one. Terry's book does not include them since
they were originally built long before 1936.

Tim O'Connor

The question is whether there is remote uncoupling possibility with the Sergent couplers.  I can't imagine how.  As I understand the principle, a tiny metal ball keeps the knuckle closed.  The magnet held above the coupler raises the ball out of its seat so the knuckle will open.

Richard, do you have or do you know of any photos of these cars?
I have never seen one. Terry's book does not include them since
they were originally built long before 1936.

Richard, do you have or do you know of any photos of these cars?

UP 471441 was an A-50-7 class car, originally wood sheathed but
rebuilt ca. 1940 into a steel sheathed car. The steel rebuilds kept
the original Bettendorf underframes and 5-5-5 corrugated ends with
two additional corrugations at the top. Roofs were panel steel,
doors were 12' double corrugated, trucks were AAR with spring planks,
running boards were wood, hand brakes were Ajax or Universal, and
couplers were bottom-operated Type E. A kitbash is possible based on
a model of a 10'6" IH AAR standard box car (e.g., Intermountain), but
double doors would have to added and the underframe replaced.

I'm interested in modeling UP 471441, a 40' double door boxcar,
since it's been documented as operating on the route I want to
model. Is this the same class as the Trix double-door model, or the
Intermountain? If not, are photos, plans, or diagrams out there,
somewhere, of cars in the same class?

The Trix car is an A-50-16, UP 474000-474499 until 1955, when
they were renumbered as 175000-175499.

Intermountain? Intermountain doesn't make a 40ft double door.
If you mean Red Caboose, those are prewar cars, SOO and SAL.

The Hon. Schuyler Larrabee says-

I had not noticed the 153s which I agree will be more appropriate in
most cases.

Given the right location (such as the Shake-n-Take PRR X45 from last
year) I'll prefer Kadee 78s, so
I can have a scale-width draft gear as well as the "scale" head.

But, my learned friend, the Kadee 78's have neither a scale draft gear/
coupler box, nor a scale length coupler shank (it is far too
long)....i.e., it is neither fish nor fowl. Even Kadee will admit that
the #78 was an expedient designed originally for their proprietary car
offerings, not aspiring for scale independent aftermarket use.

IMHO, the #153s in an overscale standard-sized "Athearn" box are
superior in overall appearance and effect than the #78s.

Denny

Denny S. Anspach MD
Sacramento

I had not noticed the 153s which I agree will be more appropriate in
most cases.

Given the right location (such as the Shake-n-Take PRR X45 from last
year) I'll prefer Kadee 78s, so
I can have a scale-width draft gear as well as the "scale" head.