R-T-R

[Anonymous]

R-T-R: Does this mean it is Ready-To-Run or Ready-to-Rebuild?

How many of you buy RTR rolling stock and put it on your layout straight out of the box with no modifications?

From what I read here on the forum, RTR really stands for Ready-To-Rebuild. Seems like most folks change out the couplers, wheel sets, trucks and even grab irons.

Is there a way to let the manufactures know that it would be more cost effective for them and the modeler to sell their models without trucks/wheel sets and/or couplers so that a person could buy what they like/use as far as the type of trucks, wheel sets and couplers?

They should offer both RTR and ARTR - Almost-Ready-To-Run. [:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Snake

ARTR - Almost-Ready-To-Run. [:D]

LOL[:p]

[orsonroy]

So far, the only one of my 700+ pieces of rolling stock and 120 or so engines has been ONE newly-bought Division Point brass caboose. It came with metal wheelsets and Kadee #58 couplers, which are my standard (nothing rolls on my layout without at least all-metal wheelsets and Kadees). EVERYTHING else I've bought over the past 10 years or so has had to have some modification done to it, even if it's a simple coupler swap.

Unfortunately, most RTR manufacturers don't make it easy to do a "simple coupler swap", because they glue the *&%$% coupler boxes on! One more reason why I prefer kits.

[Anonymous]

Ray,

Sorry for my ignorance, I am still build my layout and haven't put together any rolling stock kits yet - I have some Athearn Blue Box kits but have not put them together.

So kits don't come with the coupler pockets attached? That would be helpful!!

[Anonymous]

Athearn kits do come with the coupler boxes attached to the underframe. Most kits do and have a method of installing the builder's choice of coupler. If I was into RTR and the manufacturer's where providing them with couplers and wheels sets permanintly mounted and of a quality I didn't like, I would tell them so. Gluing the coupler boxes together is a NO NO!

[DSchmitt]

I'm in N scale and over the years most of my equipment ran fine out of the box. (I now have nearly 1000 freight cars) Fortunately most N RTR is better built than a lot of HO RTR.

Good RTR helps bring new blood into the hobby, Without it there would be fewer model railroaders causing less selection and less availability of products. Bad RTR turns potentional modelers off.

While it may seen illogical, kits can not always be sold at a lower cost. Somtimes the increased sales volumn more than offsets the cost of assembly when it comes to the bottom line.

Let the companies know they need better design and quality control and to not make their products impossible to dissemble. In the long run both they and the modeler will benefit.

[IRONROOSTER]

In S scale most (all?) RTR comes set up for HiRail. Showcase line from S helper includes scale wheelsets which I swap in. They also have their AF coupler set up so It can be removed just by taking off the truck and they include a spacer so car height off the rail stays the same. There is coupler pocket pad with pre drilled holes for KD coupler box. All in all a neat piece of engineering which enables me to buy their cars and locos without having to hunt around for the scale version. Dealers don't have to carry two lines either.
Enjoy
Paul

[AggroJones]

When I buy RTR (rare), I always have to do some dissasembly for the sake of weathering or body modification.

[Hawks05]

i usually just run mine right out of the box. i would have to probably get at least another 4-6 packs of couplers (Kadee #5) to put them on all of my cars. i don't feel like doing that as a lot of the stuff i have i won't use anyways. i have yet to take apart of the of the stuff i've bought. if there is something i know i won't use i'll switch couplers. probably down the road i'll start to customize stuff but now yet.

[AggroJones]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hawks05

i usually just run mine right out of the box. i would have to probably get at least another 4-6 packs of couplers (Kadee #5) to put them on all of my cars. i don't feel like doing that as a lot of the stuff i have i won't use anyways. i have yet to take apart of the of the stuff i've bought. if there is something i know i won't use i'll switch couplers. probably down the road i'll start to customize stuff but now yet.

You should buy a 20 pack of KD couplers. It will be cheaper in the long run. If you plan on having more than 20 cars, which is probably yes, then you need to buy a bulk pack of them.

[Anonymous]

Snake:

Many of the craftsman style kits don't come with either couplers or trucks. Those of us who go with P87 standards have gotten used to mix and match parts selection. Another of the many reasons to move on to scratchbuilding as soon as you are able.

Randy

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rda1964


Snake:

Many of the craftsman style kits don't come with either couplers or trucks. Those of us who go with P87 standards have gotten used to mix and match parts selection. Another of the many reasons to move on to scratchbuilding as soon as you are able.

Randy

I went to NMRA and looked for a "P87" standard with no avail. What is the P87 standard?

I have done structure and scenery scratch building for many years. I just haven't tried doing any rolling stock yet because I haven't found a good source for plans or blueprints which shows the specs for the under carriage. I'm sure that once I figure out the under carriage and how to correctly position and attach the trucks my apprehension of building rolling stock will vanish. For Grayhound Challenger's "Scratchbuild Off" I was going to try my hand at building a tank car for transporting steamer oil but decided for this first competition I would do a water tower.

[IRONROOSTER]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Snake

QUOTE: Originally posted by rda1964


Snake:

Many of the craftsman style kits don't come with either couplers or trucks. Those of us who go with P87 standards have gotten used to mix and match parts selection. Another of the many reasons to move on to scratchbuilding as soon as you are able.

Randy

I went to NMRA and looked for a "P87" standard with no avail. What is the P87 standard?

I have done structure and scenery scratch building for many years. I just haven't tried doing any rolling stock yet because I haven't found a good source for plans or blueprints which shows the specs for the under carriage. I'm sure that once I figure out the under carriage and how to correctly position and attach the trucks my apprehension of building rolling stock will vanish. For Grayhound Challenger's "Scratchbuild Off" I was going to try my hand at building a tank car for transporting steamer oil but decided for this first competition I would do a water tower.

The P87 or Proto:87 standards (and others) are in the process of being voted on by the NMRA membership. The proposed standards are linked to this page http://www.nmra.org/standards/pfc/PFC_Standards.html on the NMRA's site.
Enjoy
Paul

[Eriediamond]

I run my rolling stock right out of the box. Only changes I make is to replace the horn-hook coupler with knuckle, otherwisw I run what comes on them.