KITS?

[Anonymous]

I visited the LHS here in Tucson today. I found quite a few "kits" but these weren't exactly what I expected. They were Bachman and Accurail. These weren't "kits" as I knew 30 years ago.

Basically six pieces of plastic and the trucks. More like "tinker-toy" than what I remember. It's a "SLAM BAM THANK YOU MAM" kit.

Is there any real "kits" available anymore? The current ones that I saw really "suck"

Thanks in advance for any information guys.

Darrell

[Anonymous]

Darrell,

Kits made by Funaro & Camerlengo, and Westerfield, are cast resin kits that are anything but WHAM-BAM. Highly detailed and protoype specific.


mdwoods

[nedthomas]

Tichy Train Group sell kits for box cars, reefers, gondolas, flat cars, hoppers, tank cars and MOW cars. Life Like made several kits but today its mostly ready to run. Try swap meets or E-Bay for them. Branchline Trains also has kits. Laserkit sells mostly caboose kits.

[tstage]

Darrell,

On kits...

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Styrene:
Branchline "Blueprint" Series
Proto 2000
Red Caboose
Tichy

Trucks and couplers provided

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Resin:
Funaro & Camerlengo
Westerfield

Wood: (laser cut)
American Model Builders

You'll need to purchase trucks and couplers separately.

---

Tom

[Jetrock]

Don't forget Labelle! They still make wood kits the old-fashioned way.

The funny part is that manufacturers are starting to phase out those shake-the-box "kits" because today's model railroader wants ready-to-roll equipment that can be taken directly from the box to the layout with no construction needed.

What makes it even funnier is that recently I acquired some back issues of MODEL RAILROADER. In the letters section, a reader was complaining about how model railroading was about craftsmanship when he got into the hobby a decade before, but now building things was too easy because of all the kits that let anyone with a screwdriver build 'em, and he was also chafed about excessive NMRA regulation of the hobby, which took the fun out of it for him.

Keep in mind...this was an issue of MR from 1947!

[IRONROOSTER]

You can also make your own kits by buying parts. Their not quite as common as they once were, but they are available. GrandtLine is a good place to start. http://www.grandtline.com/
Northeastern Scale Lumber http://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/ has wood shapes.
Enjoy
Paul

[passengerfan]

How about 12" to the foot kits. Pullman Standard sold kits for streamlined Baggage Cars to both Santa Fe and CB&Q.

[TomDiehl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by passengerfan

How about 12" to the foot kits. Pullman Standard sold kits for streamlined Baggage Cars to both Santa Fe and CB&Q.

I'm assisting on a Pennsy K4 kit in that "scale."

Don't forget locomotive kits. In HO there's still Bowser and if you cruise Ebay, check for Mantua/Tyco and MDC/Roundhouse kits.