HO Train Station Products core kits

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,

Anybody have any experience with the TSP core kits? All I've ever seen of them is that same small photo that's been published in MR and on the Walthers website. I'm mainly interested in the Budd core, which unfortunately isn't all that useful unless you scratchbuild your own Budd sides. I think I've figured out how to form the various fluting patterns from styrene, but I'd like to know if the fluting on the TSP roof is correct.

What I mean by 'correct' is how the flutes are shaped. On the Walthers Budd cars, they're basically shaped like .010" rods all the way around, which looks really good. Unfortunately, because of the curved surface, it's understandably difficult to cut a die that accurately, so on both Rivarossi's old 1940s and on TSP's Hi-Levels, the flutes remain vertical all the way instead of being tangent to the curve, which distorts their shape by the time you get down to the roofline. For example, the fluting on the Hi-Levels should look continuous all the way down to the bottom of the window strip, but there's a break at the roofline where the flutes jump from vertical to horizontal instead of blending. You can get away with this on cars like the UP 10-6s, which had smooth letterboards, but it just won't work on an ATSF or CB&Q-type car with the fully fluted letterboards.

(Kato seemed to get the continuous fluting right on their business car, but because it's basically an observation car, I'd need two shells at $25 each in order to kitbash a regular full-length car).

Anyway...was hoping someone could either compare a TSP roof to a Walthers one, or post a closeup photo of the core kit's pieces. I know Eastern Car Works makes a Budd core kit as well (and even a set of NYC-prototype sides to go with it), but I'm doubtful of their quality unless someone can post a photo. I wish Walthers had more and better photos of items!

[jrbarney]

QUOTE: Originally posted by asamtrak911

Hi guys,

Anybody have any experience with the TSP core kits? All I've ever seen of them is that same small photo that's been published in MR and on the Walthers website. I'm mainly interested in the Budd core, which unfortunately isn't all that useful unless you scratchbuild your own Budd sides. I think I've figured out how to form the various fluting patterns from styrene, but I'd like to know if the fluting on the TSP roof is correct.

Hi Asamtrak911,
Welcome to the fora !
I've not built a Train Station Products body kit, but Mr. Nigel Misso in a recent thread posted a link to the NKP Car Company Web site:
http://nkpcarco.com/products_list.htm
Go to that site and scroll down until you come to the link for the TSP body kits. You'll find the photos there are larger than at Walthers. You may be interested in some of NKP's other products. As far as I have been able to learn, TSP doesn't have their own Web site.
Hope this helps.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[Anonymous]

Bob,

Thanks for the reply and link. It's been a while since I visited NKP's site and I was impressed at some of the photos of their car sides. Unfortunately I can't really use any of them, but I think I'll send them an email to ask if they can answer my question about the TSP kits. I can't really tell much about the Budd version from that photo, although it does show exactly what parts are included. But I was definitely glad to see a photo of the Pullman/ACF kit and learn that it apparently includes two styles of roofs, one with rivets and one without.

I haven't found any sort of website or email address for TSP either. It's too bad, because I'd like to be able to stay updated on their latest developments and make suggestions for future products.

Alex