Accucraft IMR 4-wheel coaches

[SapperAnt]

I am very tempted by the new Accucraft IMR green and cream 4-wheel coaches.

Before I invest, however, does anyone have any of the red and cream ones and would be willing to offer a review of them? Quality. finish., riding etc.?

Also: how do they look behind 16mm Accuccraft locos such as a Ragleth or Caradoc?

Thanks in advance!

Ant

[IrishPeter]

If they are tight to scale then the IMR 4-wheelers are going to be 247mm long over the headstocks; 140mm tall, and 105mm wide, so they should work a treat with a Caradoc or Ragleth, as those locomotives are about in the right width and height envelope for 3' gauge locomotives.

I do not have any of them myself, but I have not heard anyhing bad about them.  If there had been any major complaints I would have noted them, as (a) I am an IMR nut, and (b) I dislike spending good money of stuff that derails.  I can build vehicles that derail myself.  Accucraft castings etc., are pretty crisp, so they are certainly OK in that respect.

Accucraft painting them in the IMR's maroon and cream livery always made me smile as that was the post WW2 (1950 onwards, IIRC) for the main fleet. B that time all the 4-wh bodies except the E vans were mounted on bogie underframes, but many were painted not in the red and cream scheme, but in red-brown, which was the cheap livery the IMR used for its secondary fleet used on school trains.  

Green and Cream was the original livery of the IMR 'A' series of first class 4-wh carriages which were 17'6" long.  The Accys are B and C series which were a foot shorter and were chocolate-brown originally.  The A, B, C, and D series carriages all ended up as close coupled 'Pairs' and painted chocolate brown and off-white before the programme of mounting them on bogie underframes started.

Peter in AZ

[Narrow Minded]

I seem to recall Pendo Pilot having an issue with the wheels binding on curves, his plan was to replace the "chunky looking" wheelsets.

[Pendo Pilot]

I seem to recall Pendo Pilot having an issue with the wheels binding on curves, his plan was to replace the "chunky looking" wheelsets.

Aye, that has been my only issue with them. I found the treads quite on the wideside with a hefty size flange. Does make them bind quite a bit (This is in 32mm, can't comment on 45mm). In the end I moved the wheelsets inboard a few MM which has made them more acceptable. As I don't model the IMR I found this an acceptable compromise.