mlehman BRAKIE I suppose that's why I can use either my higher detailed cars or my older BB and Roundhouse cars without notice. Larry, Well, gee, I always thought it was my eyes, which a visit to the eye doctor yesterday confirmed. Hoping to soon start seeing more details Really though, there's room for both on most layouts. I've thinned older, less relevant rolling stock in recent years and plan to do more. But I'm also happy to keep and run items that have meaning for me simply because of the paint. Some people dismiss that sort of thing, but I'll admit I just like them, along with my finely detailed cars.
BRAKIE I suppose that's why I can use either my higher detailed cars or my older BB and Roundhouse cars without notice.
Larry,
Well, gee, I always thought it was my eyes, which a visit to the eye doctor yesterday confirmed. Hoping to soon start seeing more details
Really though, there's room for both on most layouts. I've thinned older, less relevant rolling stock in recent years and plan to do more. But I'm also happy to keep and run items that have meaning for me simply because of the paint. Some people dismiss that sort of thing, but I'll admit I just like them, along with my finely detailed cars.
I have no intention of ever replacing my fleet of of older cars even though I also have my share of newer more detailed cars.
Heck, I still have Varney and Athearn metal cars, and Silver Streak cars yet to build.......
Sheldon
mlehmanReally though, there's room for both on most layouts.
Very true dat except in my case I can see how unrealistic a mix bag of cars would be.
You see my higher detail cars from Atlas,Athearn,IM,Walthers,Exact Rail and Red Caboose cars are suited for my 94/95 era and would be out of era for my 77/78 period.A big no-no and t'aint going to happen for me.
So,I rotate eras. I'm currently Ohio Central 94/95 with a protolance Slate Creek Industrial Lead out of Newark. By removing the OC Geep I can be either Slate Creek Rail or SummerSet Ry in 94/95. By digging around in my locomotive storage tote I can be CSX,NS or CR. Thankfully I thought ahead and bought GP38-2s in those road names-perfect for a industrial lead.I can also use a leaser from HELM (GP40-2) or GATX (GP38-2).
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
SpartanCook Thanks for everyone's advice it was helpful to think it out. I went with the athearn bathtub gondolas since they were still in stock with three Other road numbers in sets of three for a total of 9 cars. The walthers is an older set and seems harder to find. I really do like long trains of matching cars. Also the walthers kit has an Alaskan road name so I will hold out hope of finding an alaskan roadname set of the bethgons. This is is what I got for less than $30 dollars after an eBay coupon. http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH97530
Thanks for everyone's advice it was helpful to think it out. I went with the athearn bathtub gondolas since they were still in stock with three Other road numbers in sets of three for a total of 9 cars. The walthers is an older set and seems harder to find. I really do like long trains of matching cars. Also the walthers kit has an Alaskan road name so I will hold out hope of finding an alaskan roadname set of the bethgons.
This is is what I got for less than $30 dollars after an eBay coupon.
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH97530
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
BRAKIEI suppose that's why I can use either my higher detailed cars or my older BB and Roundhouse cars without notice.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
rrebellTrue when running fast the details don't stand out but in a switching scene, you notice right away.
Maybe its my past experience as a brakeman but,I focus on the car number(s) and the work at hand and pay little to anything else. Of course on the prototype safety demands you stay focus at all time because the rails doesn't suffer fools or carelessness..
I suppose that's why I can use either my higher detailed cars or my older BB and Roundhouse cars without notice.
I went with fine details. Even if you like to run this is important to me as there are always more cars not running than are. True when running fast the details don't stand out but in a switching scene, you notice right away. Since you are modeling more recent times things like separate grabs stand out more because of less going on on the outside in details compared to my era the 1930's with outside braced cars etc.
As Fred Flintstone once said details details details. On a small layout like mine details matter but so does durability. Either way quality wins out over quantity.
Joe Staten Island West
Details are at the other end of the cat. And she will have nothing to do with coming indoors, let alone up to the train room.
LION does not dote on details. Him goes for quantity. Overwhelm viewrs with so many trains going every which way they will not have time to even count the trains let alone the rivets.
Besites, the modeling skills of the LION preclude doting on detail.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Since my object was always to simulate the rather frenetic operation of one specific prototype location and railway, I wasn't (and am not) concerned about fine detail - or even relatively coarse detail. Most of my freight equipment does not have JNR standard foot brakes, and at my usual operating distance and pace that isn't obvious or even noticeable. When freight 501re is dropping one six car cut and picking up another all I see is little black rectangles with car numbers.
I quickly admit that my layout is NOT photo friendly. The word CRUDE is not inappropriate. On the other hand, the trackwork is bulletproof, the rolling stock couples and tracks perfectly and the motive power operates (on analog DC) as designed. I am content.
If I was a photographer I would be totally dissatisfied - but I'm not, and I'm not. If this be model railroad heresy, so be it.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - more or less)
SpartanCook:
Here is a clickable link to the Athearn web page:
I have about 40 Athearn 34' offset side hoppers and I think they look good. They are not as finely detailed as they could be. Perhaps the worst detail is the plastic ladder rungs that look like steps instead of bars, but I don't think many people would focus on that specific detail when they are watching a long cut of cars go by.
One thing I don't care for are the McHenry plastic couplers. I'm sure that Athearn has tested them thoroughly but never the less they will be replaced with #148 Kadees. I really don't want a cut of cars to come loose on a helix.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
tstage I'm always an advocate of buying quality over quantity. So, I'd rather have fewer nicely-detailed and prototypically "accurate" cars than more generic ones. But...that's me. Tom
I'm always an advocate of buying quality over quantity. So, I'd rather have fewer nicely-detailed and prototypically "accurate" cars than more generic ones. But...that's me.
Tom
I fully agree quality over quantity is the better choice unless one needs 200 hopper cars,grain cars or what ever type for operation then the better approach would be cars that is acceptable to one's modeling style and hobby funds since the dollar amount will go into the thousands for those 200 cars..
If a tragic event befell me and I had to start over I would choose quality over quantity for my ISLs.
In addition to the considerations discussed above, one other relevant factor: does either manufacturer offer more such cars with different road numbers? All other things being equal, from an operating session standpoint the more cars you can get with different road numbers the better. Numbers can be changed (with some work) but it is not always easy to get them to look as nice as the factory lettering job, especially now that factory lettering jobs look so nice.
Dave Nelson
ATLANTIC CENTRALAnd, no offense Tom, but I'm not always comfortable using the word "quality" in that way. A generic car can be very high "quality" in a number of ways, good running qualities, accurate well applied paint job, nice trucks and couplers, etc. But it simply lacks fine detail or is somewhat generic while having overall correct proportions and features. But a proto specific car could lack "quality" in those running/build quality areas while being very "correct". Being more proto correct or having finer detail is about more "features", not about better build quality - just my view.......
But it simply lacks fine detail or is somewhat generic while having overall correct proportions and features.
But a proto specific car could lack "quality" in those running/build quality areas while being very "correct".
Being more proto correct or having finer detail is about more "features", not about better build quality - just my view.......
I totally agree, Sheldon. I am quite fond of Accurail 6- & 8-panel wood boxcars. While some purists might turn up their nose to some of the molded on parts, I think both the quality and value of their built-up kits is quite good and I would have no problem purchasing more; not like I need 'em. I believe the last time I checked, 30-35% of my rolling stock was Accurail.
My idea of "generic" would be Tyco, which is what I had in mind when I used the term loosely. But, I agree. I've had a few "quality" cars on my layout that didn't operate very well because one of the wheelsets would bind on the underside of a stair or stirrup, as it was going around a curve. Operate a $5 Tyco boxcar around the same curve and it would negotiate without blinking an eye.
So, "quality" to me doesn't mean it comes highly-detailed but "nicely-detailed" - i.e. it's a good to very good representation (paint, detail, runnability, etc.) of the original model. Course, I'm sure I probably have more than a few examples in my rolling stock arsenal that - although the unit was modeled with my prototype's moniker painted on the outside of it, in reality - it only really fit a handful of other prototypes.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Your call however - especially freelance so no one can say hey, the real RR never had that coal car! Intermountain has been selling a lot of Canadian type coal cars btw - click on the link and scroll down to bath tub gondola's:
http://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/hogondolas.htm
If you're into operating your trains, then fine details won't really be noticed. If you're into close up photographing your models then the details do matter.
Also size matters. For smaller scales like N or HO the details aren't noticed as much (again except in close up pictures). But for O and G they are noticeable. S is between.
Personally, when I am running my trains I seldom notice whether the details such as grab irons are separate or molded on. For many details they can even be missing all together.
Paul
I'm am freelancing my layout. With the idea being it is located at the imagined junction of the alaska railroad and canadian national. This is all modern locos. This way I can have some more variety in rolling stock and locos rather than just a fleet of SD70MACs
This is a choice that is often related to specific modeling goals and layout size.
building a small layout? only need a few cars? on a smaller layout you are generally in a more "intimate" viewing setting, so more detail makes sense.
But, larger layout, longer trains, "deeper" viewing distances, detail starts to not matter as much, with overall "impression" being more important.
So, to the OP, I would ask, what are your long range modeling goals? Maybe that should have some sway as to how you spend your money now.......
And, no offense Tom, but I'm not always comfortable using the word "quality" in that way. A generic car can be very high "quality" in a number of ways, good running qualities, accurate well applied paint job, nice trucks and couplers, etc.
Whatever you think is right for you:-)
I go quantity if they are of decent quality to begin with.
95% of what I own gets transported to the club to be able to run it since I lack a layout of my own at home.
The most detailed beautiful thing in the world means squat to me if I can't go from point A to point B in one piece
My 6 yr old is involved with almost everything as well and he does very very good handling the stuff I still err on the side of caution.
I want my/our time to be fun, so $30+ freight cars aren't in the budget for our needs.
I did pickup 18 Walthers Mainline coal cars of the 40ft variety and they are nicel done for mere cast on detail
Both Walthers and Athearn make good looking and good running cars. I have a lot of Athearn hoppers, mostly two bay and four bay sorts, common in the 1950's. They look good, with a bit of paint they look even better. My Walthers cars are mostly bilboard meat reefers, and they look good and run good. If you are modeling a prototype, you want to pick the one that matches your chosen prototype. If you are free lancing it, pick the ones that look coolest. For a more modern road than mine, the Bethgons are impressively large.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
Spartan Cook:
Are you modeling a specific prototype railroad? If so, which is closer to your chosen prototype?
Do you plan on operation? Which cars will easily operate without derailments?
Do you prefer more detailed models than those with less detail?
In short, I think you need to be sure whichever you buy come more closely to your "givens and druthers."
Chuck
I am just getting into the hobby and working on my first layout, I am going to purchase some coal cars in the next day or two. I am looking at either 6 walthers canadian nationals bethgon, or 3 athearn bathtub gondolas. The gondolas come with removable coal loads and seem to be a little more detailed.
They are equal price. I know I will ultimately need quite a few coal cars and I cannot decide which ones to go for, any advice?