Gentlemen,
I would like to "Breath new life into an Older Athearn boxcar."
Article in June MRR by andy Renshaw.
Detail Associates 501 No longer available at Walthers
Microscale 87-460 and 87-463 unknown at this time.
I live in England, so have to scout around here and stateside to find parts.
Would any body stateside have 2 Detail Assoc 501 I could buy or do you know if your local model shop has them in stock?
Or, where would I get the parts that make a DA 501?
Thought I would ask.
Many Thanks
Garfield
Hi,
I suggest you try Ebay, for eventually anything and everything is up for auction there.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I did an internet search for "Detail Associates 501" and found:
http://store.blueoxtrains.com/detail-associates-501-freight-car-detail-kit-c-bt-shops-40-steel-boxcar-ho-scale/
http://www.internettrains.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGYA&Store_Code=IT&Category_Code=HSCRLSRSPDTA&IT_Category_All:per_page=75
but they appear out of stock. Happy hunting!
Inspired by Addiction
See more on my YouTube Channel
Garfield,
I was in a hurry at the time, so I missed the out of stock tingie'.
I did check my LHS and He did have one six months ago...but that's it. He knew exactly what I was talking about. I looked for it on many other places and no one has it or did and are out of stock and new stock is unknown. I did ask my good friend at the LHS about getting in touch with the MFG. and He said, I would be wasting my time and He was right...could not reach them. Very small outfit started in 1975 by a few guy's, that 's all I could find out. I'll keep trying, when I can.
Good Luck!
Take Care!
Frank
BTW: I'll put a note in My E-bay account and see if I get any hits.
Edit: Just checked e-bay.....they have #503,504, no 501. left a note.
You might try calling Jack Hawkins at Hawkins Rail Service in Lafayette, IN; (765) 742-5577. He has a huge inventory of detail parts. From memory, his email address is jack@hawkinsrailservice.com. Good luck.
Tichy makes brake gear for freight cars - K, split K, and AB types, and lots of other interesting stuff for boxcars, including wood and steel doors, various Murphy ends, etc., etc. You can also buy from them directly: tichytraingroup
Here's a re-worked Athearn Blue Box boxcar, with Tichy 5/5/5 Murphy ends, and Tichy doors and ladders. I lowered the eaves by about 6"HO, then replaced the roof with a Viking roof from Des Plaines Hobbies.I used the Central Valley floors and underframes for the eight cars done, then mounted them on Proto National B-1 trucks.
This is a Tichy boxcar, with Tichy AB brake details:
Wayne
tin can You might try calling Jack Hawkins at Hawkins Rail Service in Lafayette, IN; (765) 742-5577. He has a huge inventory of detail parts. From memory, his email address is jack@hawkinsrailservice.com. Good luck.
Unfortunately the link does not work, Jack would not answer it anyway....He's a phone guy.
It's another long shot, but I'll give them a call later, they are open on Sat. This is the correct link:
http://www.hawkinsrailservices.com/contactinformation.html
You gotta' remember Guy's, the OP is from England, not that easy to get things shipped and making phone calls, $$$$
Little up-date...called Jack at Hawkins Rail Services and He checked for Me....no go...He has #500 which is for a caboose and #504 which is a tank car I believe. He said that Detail Associates Inc. is still in business though, but it's unknown if He will get anymore. I can not reach Detail associates....will try still if I can. Jack has My number, should He come up with any.
Thank you for the reply.
Would anybody know what parts are in a Detail Assoc 501?
So, I know what to order from another company.
Thanks
Brent
Brent, have you tried Walthers? They do have a lot of DA parts.
There's a list of Detail Associates parts here...
Detail%2520Associates
...but it doesn't show that item.
In the photo shown here...
detail-associates-501-freight-car-detail-kit
...it appears to contain wheelsets, brake gear details for both the car end and underbody, and some ladders. The rest of the contents aren't discernable. The ladders and brake parts appear to be Tichy, and you can view their entire catalogue here:
tichytraingroup
The easiest upgrade to make for Athearn boxcars is to replace the cast-on sill steps with ones from A-Line and replace the grabirons with wire ones from Tichy or homemade versions of the same using, repectively, flat brass bar from D.A. and .012" phosphor bronze wire from Tichy.
However, the most significant change, and one which will improve the appearance markedly, would be to replace the oversize doortracks and the "working" doors with properly placed ones more to scale.
I recently ordered some decals from the ACL/SAL Historical Society for a car I'm scratchbuilding. Included is some very nice lettering for boxcars too modern for my modelling era. Rather than let it go to waste, I purchased an unbuilt Athearn boxcar kit, a used Athearn boxcar, and an Athearn boxcar body shell, then re-built them as gifts for three friends.I used A-Line steps, but bent my own grabirons. The doors are either McKean or Front Range, both no longer around, while the door tracks are Evergreen strip styrene. I modified the underbodies on two of them by flipping the floor upside down (no point in wasting that moulded-on board detail in a car with sealed doors) where the board detail is also appropriate. The Athearn brake components aren't especially well-done, and they're improperly placed, so they were removed and replaced with parts from my brake details inventory: AB valve and cylinders from Tichy and reservoirs removed from Train Miniature cars. I added the basic brake rigging that might be seen from trackside, but left off most of the piping. The other car got a Central Valley floor and underframe - they're available in 3-packs, and require no extra detail parts, although they do need to be trimmed slightly to fit within the narrower Athearn bodyshell. The weights were placed inside the carbodies and secured.
For anyone who noticed them missing, I did add tack boards after those photos were taken (scratchbuilt using 6 pieces of Evergreen strip styrene for each)
Here's a re-worked Athearn underbody:
...and a Central Valley one, albeit on a different Athearn car:
Brent,
I just spent over two hours...still looking for all the parts that came in the #501 kit and Wayne is about right, but I think the kit came with roof walks also. As far as where and how to put all the brake detail, Like I said in My E-mail, in the manual that You are waiting for, are diagrams of box cars, tank cars etc. showing You the placement of the brake rigging, grabs, ladders and so forth for alot of rolling stock and also the parts & numbers of, Cal Scale, Tichy and I believe another. You should be able to super-detail most any piece of rolling stock, with the diagrams provided in that Manual. You're going to be amazed, at what is in that Manual....I was. LOL
BTW: I ordered the DA #503 for Tank Cars, just to see all the parts that it entails, there are many in the kit, along with a few other items from E-bay, a lot of etched brass parts in the kit.
Monday, I am going to try to get in touch with Detail Associates again. I'll let You know. They are still supposed to be in business, since the founder passed away, but that is all I know. Last time I tried..no one answered the phone and no response from E-mail.
Take Care, talk to Yah'.
EDIT: Anyone interested: The Manual I am referring to in the text...is a Bowser Parts and Repair Manual 16th Edition, that I thought only had things for Loco's, but it has much more in it, than I thought. You have a better chance of getting one, if interested by calling them.
Thank you to you all for your replys.
I will take on board things I did not know.
Three separate sales of that parts kit sold on eBay in May.
Here is a link to one sale:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Detail-Associates-HO-501-Detail-Kit-40-Steel-Boxca-/230601840286?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b0f0d69e&nma=true&si=CwLnVlFq0mmI0kPlQsC%252FBute69U%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
The seller had 13 of those kits available for sale, so you might contact him to see if he can source another kit for you. T-J Model Trains is extremely active as an eBay seller, so there is at least a decent chance that he can find the kit for you. Worth a try. And, keep checking eBay for future sales of the parts kit.
Rich
Alton Junction
Toy Train Heaven claims it is "available". Hmmm.
http://www.toytrainheaven.com/.sc/ms/dd/ee/52127170/Detail%20Assoc%20DISC%20Boxcar%20%2040%92%20AAR%20type%20Steel%20SD%5E2FDD%2C%20LIST%20PRICE%20%2410.5
I would call before I would "Buy".
Whoever this guy is, he had the kit in April, or so he says. Might be worth a call.
http://www.procustomhobbies.com/catpages/DET.shtml
Rich,
Thanks for the tip. I've been searching high and low for that item....the part # matches...so we will see...cause I just ordered it.
If You get this msg. I will send You a E-mail later. Run into same problem as before, with shipping to You, will advise. Should be the one....If not...I will eat it....the $$$, that is. LOL.
Frank, glad I could help. Where did you order? Pro Custom Hobbies?
No...the Toy Train link. Brent already got the Msg. I'll call them tomorrow and see if it's the correct one.....if it is...He wants two. It's a discontinued item...hopefully it is the correct one. If not....the one I ordered...I'll send to Him anyway...Free. That's good customer relations. LOL.
Thanks again.
Frank, if that fails, give T-J Model Trains a try. That guy can turn up stuff that others can't.
http://stores.ebay.com/T-J-Model-Trains-and-Things?_trksid=p2047675.l2563
Coincidental if You may. I ordered the DA#503 from Him yesterday. The 503 is for 10,000 gal. tank cars.
Dealing with Joel and Teresa is a dream. They are indeed a class act and deserve any business we can give them. Have dealt with them a number of times and is always a smooth transaction. Great stock and many hard to find items. They are just north of the Tri-city area in Washington State.
I am just a very satisfied customer, no relation or connection with T-J Model Trains.
Always great service from them even up here in Canada.
Johnboy out.
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)