This leads to the story of the once extenswive line of Walthers passenger car kits.
A good kit..
The earlier models, the roof was wood and you had to shape the end by hand, using a roof end template.
Stamped metal side, die cast parts.
Of coarse, back then, trucks to go under your kit, was extra.
Still have the one and only kit built of this line, the C&NW heavyweight combine with the injection molded roof.
Only Walthers kit I could run on a 18" radius mainline.
Another good kit to build to gain valuable modeling experience.
Run EightAnother good kit to build to gain valuable modeling experience
That is why they had the Piker and Oscar kits, very inexpensive so the modler could get some experience with the building techniques. I refer to the original Piker/Oscar, not the more recent plastic ones.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
I still have some of the old cars made from Walthers kits as well as some made from simalar kits made by JC Models. The modeler as you said provided the trucks and also diaphragms and interiors. Below is an example.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Nice car, Garry. I have several yet to be built, and one to rebuild. I was thinking of trying to improve upon the kit, by integrating some Branchline Parts.
Run Eight The earlier models, the roof was wood and you had to shape the end by hand, using a roof end template. Stamped metal side, die cast parts.
And the metal "beading" to carry the edge of the clerestory roof down to the end of the cars -- where you had filed away the wood to the shape of the template.
The machine or machines Walthers had to punch out the doors and windows made it possible for them to create nearly any pattern of windows and doors, often of very specific and narrow-interest prototypes. It would be very costly for anyone to attempt that much individuality with injection molded plastic, and we all know how much brass passenger cars have come to cost.
Dave Nelson
If modellers still want this type of kit challenge. Labelles kits are still very much like the original walthers ones. Only recently Labelle has added pre made roof parts that do not need to be shaped. Mind you they still sell the roof roundign kits some I would infer from that, you will still have to shape some of their kits.