I do not know how the large cars react on a layout, my small layout is gone, needed the room, and only have 3' test track. The cars are heavy for their size without a load. The bodies have a large amount of lead in the resin, the small blue dots can be seen in the bodies of the schnabel and the large GE depressed flat car. I have heard that the large Overland schnabel cars did not track very well.
Prototypically, when loaded, these cars run very slowly, typically 10 mile an hour or less. In many cases at only walking speed. This is because the big cars have the ability to shift the load both horizontally and vertically to work around obstacles along the route. This is where the clearance diagram must be perfect.
I do not plan on running mine too far. The cars will run only from the river load out to the yard, and then from the yard to the nuclear and coal power plants.
I have four other large cars:
- GE No. 40017 Schnabel Car with transformer load from E & P Associates
- Westinghouse No. 202 Schnabel Car with transformer load from Overland Models
- Westinghouse No. 203 Schnabel Car with transformer load from Overland Models
- PRR Queen Mary (16 axle depressed flat & well hole car) from Railworks
One can not have too many of these cars. I am waiting for Concept-Models to do the large GE 40010 schanbel car. I can not wait until I can have a yard full of these cars, and their associated cabooses. I just need to improve my skill with the air brush before I tackle these cars.
