Super detailing cars

[Niagara Railroader]

 Hi everyone. I am just getting back into model railroading and am slowly building up a collection of cars. I am interested in what is available as far as super detailing cars go. I know of the sprung trucks, but I want these to look completely prototypical. What manufacturers are making parts for cars, and if anyone has pictures of their super detailed cars, that would be fantastic.

 

Thanks in advance

 

alexP

[jrbernier]

Alex,

  Go out the the Walthers web site and search on the 'super detail' section if you are looking for parts...

http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=Part&scale=H&manu=&item=&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=30&Submit=Search

Jim 

 

[Niagara Railroader]

 Thanks so much guys.... Jim that link should keep me busy for hours! Maybe even days!

 

And David, I am online now looking for the companies you provided as well. Thanks again

 

 

alexP

[loathar]

I can add that the Kadee air hose kits are real nice and pretty cheap. I think that's one detail that really stands out on a car.

[maxman]

Niagara Railroader

I am interested in what is available as far as super detailing cars go.

If you are just getting back into the hobby, then maybe you don't know that there are several companies out there that manufacture car kits that, when assembled, are way beyond the level of detailing that most of us can accomplish starting from the typical Athearn boxcar which used to be used as the basis for superdetailing projects.  (I'd give you references to some of them, but my brain is a little fried today).  Anyway, these kits build up with a lot of the finished parts very well detailed and close to scale size.

Now, not to throw any cold water on your goal, but I have to ask to what level do you want to detail, and how you plan to use the finished cars.  If you are planning to display the finished cars, then by all means detail them to the max.  If you are going to operate them on your home layout, then the detailing parts need to be a little more substantial to survive the inevitable oop's that will occur.  And if you plan to take the cars anywhere, all bets are off.  Some of the detailing that you can add won't survive the trip.

And if you belong to a club, there is always the possibility that Hamhand Crashman will run your new car onto the floor.  Where I belong, I sometimes think that the cars should be sanded 2 X 3's with trucks, couplers, and the detail parts painted on.

[MisterBeasley]

maxman

If you are just getting back into the hobby, then maybe you don't know that there are several companies out there that manufacture car kits that, when assembled, are way beyond the level of detailing that most of us can accomplish starting from the typical Athearn boxcar which used to be used as the basis for superdetailing projects

I'd agree.  This is a Proto 2000 (or P2K as we typically type it) kit from Walthers.  It's a Mather box car kit.  They call these "timesaver" kits, because they are designed to be assembled in one evening.

The wire grab-ons and underbody detail are all pre-assembled at the factory, so the modeller doesn't have to deal with this kind of very detailed work.  The brake components, on the other hand, must be put together and attached, so you don't get off too easy.  This picture is taken right after assembly, with no painting or weathering applied.    I think this particular kit produces a very high-quality model right out of the box.  By the way, there are still a few of these in stock at Walthers, and they're on sale.  As you can see from the high brake wheel, these are appropriate for pre-WW2 layouts, but if that's what you're modelling, you might consider one of these before they're all gone.