[ogaugeguy]

Whether you're a scale or traditional 0-27 passenger car enthusiast, generally how many passengers do you put in your cars, in other words what percentage of your cars seats are occupied?
It seems those manufacturers who sell their cars populated with passengers generally include about 12 figures which is much fewer than the number of riders the prototypes of those models actually have occupying those seats.
So if you're a stickler for authenticity towards the outward appearance of your cars, does that desire "to get it right" extend inside your passenger cars with the number of people you have riding in them? If not, why not? Share your thoughts with us. Photos are welcomed and encouraged!

 

[MichaelE]

I couldn't afford to populate all of my coaches. I really should start though, and buy small sets at a time.

One of my Gotthard Panorama Express coaches came partially populated with several Preiser figures. Probably added $20 to the cost of the coach. There are a lot of seats in an 80' coach.

 

[Dennis461]

...
It seems those manufacturers who sell their cars populated with passengers generally include about 12 figures which is much fewer than the number of riders the prototypes of those models actually have occupying those seats....)

Have you seen the Atlantic City Rail Line? Most of the time the cars look empty going through my town.

 

[Maxum]

I have a set of MTH coaches that came with figures. I'd guess and say around 20% of the seats have figures. I think they look good with that ratio.

 

[Lee Willis]

I like 60 % occupied which means many more people to be added.

 

[HarborBelt1970]

So if you're a stickler for authenticity towards the outward appearance of your cars, does that desire "to get it right" extend inside your passenger cars with the number of people you have riding in them? If not, why not? Share your thoughts with us. Photos are welcomed and encouraged!

I once fully populated a dining car compartment with passengers and stewards. By the time it was finished, I had put 31 "people" in a 30 seat configuration - modified from the original/prototypical 36:

Here the idea was to have at least the seated passengers visible in every window. But it would be hugely difficult as well as expensive in $ and time to try to do this with a whole set of cars, and I don't think it would necessarily look more authentic to have fully populated cars. So generally I stick to about 12-15 figures.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

I usually put about 20-25 passengers in. The manufacturers typically put about half that number, 12 seems to be the magic figure. The most visible ones I use more expensive and detailed figures, interior passengers get the cheap Chinese figures.

 

[Lee Willis]

Well, harborfelt's dining car looks spectacular, so a "full car" can, if well lit, be worth all the trouble and fuss.

 

[Tom_C]

So now I'm curious about adding passengers, but I need 'victorian' characters that would fit in On30... maybe 1:50, I'm guessing. Anyone know a source?

Sorry for the hijack.

 

[Lehigh74]

It depends on how many figures I have on hand and how much I feel like painting more figures. I usually have 20 to 30 in each car. I also fill more of the window seats than the aisle seats. For vista domes, I’ll fill more than half the seats. I also like to have some standing figures looking out windows, serving in the diners or conversing in the domes. I’ve had a pioneer zephyr for a few years that still has no passengers. Those cars are more of a pain to disassemble than standard passenger cars, but I’ll get to it someday.

 

[Lehigh74]

So now I'm curious about adding passengers, but I need 'victorian' characters that would fit in On30... maybe 1:50, I'm guessing. Anyone know a source?

Sorry for the hijack.

Closest I can think of to Victorian is the set of 36 30s-50s passengers from Golden Gate Depot. Most of them wear hats.

http://www.goldengatedepot.com/instock.html

They seem to me to be a bit less than 1:48. I suspect they will fit in your cars, but you may have to trim them a bit so they sit up straight.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

The GG figures are not that small, though they're a decent fit for a lot of O-gauge cars where things like the BEEP people won't fit.

 

[Tom_C]

Thanks Lehigh, they may work. I can chop their legs off if they won't fit. I think the period is close enough for passengers.

 

[SDIV Tim]

Try to keep my train 75% full. No car has the same amount of people and no car has half the train it.


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