Hard to narrow down but... in no particular order...
Intermountain Code88 wheels, as virtually anything I add them too, improves the rolling quality dramatically. I've been a fan for 15-years.
Sergent couplers, they add so much to the look of my rolling stock.
Classic Metal Works, Busch, and Oxford diecast for vehicle models.
Freight car kits by Intermountain, P2K, and Red Caboose, for the relative ease of assembly, and excellent details. Plus excellent paint jobs.
F&C resin kits, as they make so many unusual models you'll not find outside of brass. Plus building the models creates a so much greater a sense of accomplishment over completing most models.
TCS-Wow decoders.
Fox Valley Models B&O wagontop cars.
Broadway Limited K4 pacifics. I have three of them. I also like their P70s, and express reefers. Looking forward to a Reading T1 and some of their N&W hoppers.
Bowser PRR rolling stock and diesels.
Walthers, PRR models, milk cars, and their upgrades on P2K kits.
Railworks PRR brass models.
Alvie
faller and volmeer are my favorites. model building takes a huge amount of time and these to model lines minimize that time dramatically. I also need a realistic point of view of day to day life everything on my layout is realistic top to botom and my number one place to find there kits are train swap meets. I spent 500 to 700 hrs one winter building kits no bs and anything to save time in this area will be greatly appreciated by all.
There is a Hornby forum. Perhaps interested parties could inquire there:
http://www.hornby.com/us-en/forum/international/?p=1
There is also a thread on the Atlas Rescue Forum called H.O. U. S. Rivarossi Line Kaputt.
dknelson selector I am unhappy that Hornby is pulling its Rivarossi brand out of the US market. I think they have a good product. Before I name my choices, can I ask how verified this information is? I have heard it now for weeks if not months, and there are other internet forums that talk about it, yet MR just reviewed the Rivarossi reissue of the Big Boy and their newly tooled boxcar with no mention of it. The Hornby website. to the extent I could find, makes no mention of it. Hornby had a table at November's Trainfest (which isn't cheap)...
selector I am unhappy that Hornby is pulling its Rivarossi brand out of the US market. I think they have a good product.
Before I name my choices, can I ask how verified this information is? I have heard it now for weeks if not months, and there are other internet forums that talk about it, yet MR just reviewed the Rivarossi reissue of the Big Boy and their newly tooled boxcar with no mention of it. The Hornby website. to the extent I could find, makes no mention of it. Hornby had a table at November's Trainfest (which isn't cheap)...
Dave, I have no proof to offer you. I'm going by what two posters claim they read in emails sent to them by Rivarossi on the Atlas Rescue Forum. Also, as stated there, Rivarossi were initially listed as display participants in the Amherst Show, but then they withdrew. Unless anyone knows differently, and can state that the company was represented in that show, I'd say it's looking gloomy.
-Crandell
No lying, the Boo Rim locos are seriously tempting. I tend to buy fewer and higher quality locos instead of the scads of lower-tier units I hoovered up in my younger years. Mind you, Rapido locos are already at the top of what I can justify to the Other Half; it'll take a few more years until i can pick up a $1200 loco without sleeping on the couch for several months...
But my dream loco is a brass Pacific Coast Shay. I might be willing to sell my children for one of those.
Stu
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
Also add Walthers to the list. While at the recent Springfield Mass. show I stopped by one of the vendors to pick up two Walthers building kits. They had about every building that Walthers currently produces on display . It took up about a 70-80' long by 5 ' high sectionof their space at the show. I can remember when the only American building available were the Revell ,Campbell and the Heljan Brewery !! Now we have an amazing selection . ------ Ken
First of All:
Intermountain, Exactrail and Tangent, who still make undecorated kits.
Intermountain Replacement Metal Wheel Sets.
A-Line Products: Detail Parts, especially the metal Sill Steps!
Yarmouth Models Works: Resin Kits and metal detail parts including Sill Steps and ladders.
Plano Model Products: Stainless Roofwalks and various detail Parts.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
RastafarrPRR8259 I love Boo Rim for taking the art of brass from those who came before to the next level: beautiful well detailed and amazingly painted models that run quieter than just about anything else. Boo Rim? I haven't heard of them before. Have to check them out ASAP. All good answers in here. I do think I'd be remiss if I did not also mention MB Klein for the same reasons earlier mentioned. My LHS leaves a lot to be desired; ModelTrainStuff fills the gap nicely. Stu
I love Boo Rim for taking the art of brass from those who came before to the next level: beautiful well detailed and amazingly painted models that run quieter than just about anything else.
Boo Rim? I haven't heard of them before. Have to check them out ASAP.
All good answers in here. I do think I'd be remiss if I did not also mention MB Klein for the same reasons earlier mentioned. My LHS leaves a lot to be desired; ModelTrainStuff fills the gap nicely.
Stu--
I am told on good authority that it is Boo Rim Precision who is actually building the brass hybrid locomotives for BLI.
With Ajin Precision and Samhongsa now gone, some of their employees formed other companies, including Sam Model Tech and Boo Rim Precision, who have gone on to raise the bar of HO brass by offering better built models with more detail than before along with cab lights and functioning class lights. With some models most hatches even open and you can handle them without stuff falling off at all. They have stainless steel driver tires that will not wear out and run better than anything else...whisper quiet...but are $1200 and up street price.
I am trading up to them by selling other excess trains including older brass that will never be worth as much. I have a Precision Scale Rock Island 2-8-2 in the mail...and I do have a couple hybrids too (blowout 4-12-2 on layaway).
Kato- for their SD40-2 and their GP35. They are easy to repaint, and can pull like the real ones
Scale trains- for breathing new life into manufacturers
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
Geez
There are so many:
Woodland scenics
MATH
Athearn
Proto
Bachman spectrum
Kadee
NMRA gauge
This could be a very long list and go on for a while...
Here's one that's worth mentioning: Hobbytown of Boston was known for excellent diesel drives, as well as diesel shells that were the most accurate available as far back as the 1950's. Now they're coming back into production with improved state of the art motors, etc. This is something I'm really looking forward to.
Tom
SeeYou190 Who is left? -Kevin
Who is left?
-Kevin
How about Molocos most excellent box cars!
I will say ExactRail, Tangent and Intermountain are mainstays these days.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I forgot Sergent Couplers! Those probably bump NCE down one on my list, so I now have a top 5 (5th slot is open to the first taker who makes those SD18s....)
Hello all,
Why I love Micro-Mark and thier tools; et al!
If you need it and can't find it look here!!!
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
Miss: Floquil and Poly S paint. Athearn Blue Box kits, Hi-Ball ballast, Walthers Ashland Steel Mill models.
Love: Reboxx semi scale wheels, Hi-Tech Details rubber air hoses, City Classics buildings.
Mike Habersack http://rail. habersack. com
Maryland - the land of pleasant living...
Kadee's couplers.
Broadway Limited locomotives.
Julian
Modeling Pre-WP merger UP (1974-81)
First off I will say the miniature figures from Preiser are by far the best. Next I will say that Kadee couplers are a must. Atlas has always been a solid brand as well as Athearn and Bachmann. Walthers has some nice items as well including their model structures. And don't forget Detail Associates and Details West for superdetailing parts. And lastly Evergreen Styrene for kitbashing and scratch building.
. . . . And lest we forget Model Rectifier Corp. (MRC), for their innovative ideas in train control. Yes, I know that there are many DCC products out there today that are perhaps better than MRC's DCC products, but, in my opinion, they did get the ball rolling on more realistic train operation.
Last night I was reading a Model Railroader from 1951. It made me realize that there is in fact one thing I could never live without... SUPER GLUE. Those poor guys in 1951 could not even attach wood to plastic.
.
So here is my final answer as the OP asked it:
I really love adhesive manufacturers and there super glue. I could not be a model railroader without it.
Living the dream.
As an N scaler, for me it would be Micro-Trains. They make great quality RTR rolling stock and their (former Kadee) coupler are the N scale standard against which all others are measured. I couldn't model nearly as well without Micro-Trains.
Ron
Owner and superintendant of the N scale Texas Colorado & Western Railway, a protolanced representaion of the BNSF from Fort Worth, TX through Wichita Falls TX and into Colorado.
Check out the TC&WRy on at https://www.facebook.com/TCWRy
Check out my MRR How-To YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RonsTrainsNThings
I like Scale Structures and Gold Medal Models for detail parts like furniture and bicycles.
City Classics structures fit my Transition Era urban modeling very well. I think the simplicity of the kits along with the quality of the castings make them ideal for customizing and adding details.
Branchline Trains makes great laser kits.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
PRR8259 I love Boo Rim for taking the art of brass from those who came before to the next level: beautiful well detailed and amazingly painted models that run quieter than just about anything else.
Athearn RTR locomotives and freight cars, always been a fan of the price and quality for beginners. Athearn kits are favorites.
Accurail kits for their simplicity and ease of directions.
Proto 2000 locomotives, many of my first purchases were those, and they were smooth runners.
Walthers structures and detail pieces, made it easy for me as a teenager to put things together when I was starting out.
Intermountain, excellent quality in their items.
Atlas track, cars, and locomotives, for all the same reasons as those above.
More detail on who I cannot live without:
Couplers: Kadee
Trucks: Kadee
Paint: Scalecoat, Tamiya, Vallejo, Privateer Press, Citadel
Decals: Microscale
Decal Setting Solution: Daco
Airbrush: Paasche
Tools: Snap-On and Xacto
Keeping my old locomotives running: Northwest Short Line
Track: Not happy with anybody
Switch machines" Circuitron/Tortoise
Locomotives: I have more than I will ever need
Freight cars: Who is left? I guess Funaro and Camerlengo or Sunshine would be the choices now.
The actual layout: Home Depot
As modelers we are always riding on the backs of others work to some degree. I am thankful for all the small mom and pop companies out there. Some are long gone, some still here today. Many of these people probably didn’t make much money from their hobby business but the products they created will benefit the rest of us for many years.
Old companies (just a few):
Lytler and Lytler – cool figures/people
Beaver creek Models, westside Models, Nwsl Imports– Awesome west coast small steam
OKEY Dokey Oaks – Live oak tree models – very nice
Columbia Valley Models – pretty neat structures
Yorke Kits – Awesome plaster structures (he is still around, but not much product in HO)
Current Companies - (mostly larger companies)
Rio Grande Models – very cool metal kits of unusual equipment
Silflor – excellent scenic products (esp static grass)
Blackstone, Bachmann Spectrum – modern high detail small steam
Intermountain, Red Caboose, Tichy, Sunshine, P2K – High Detail rolling stock kits
Lenz – for open sourcing DCC
If you look at this list you can see where my modeling interests lie – I think most of the posters responses so far reflect their interests as well.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
Before I name my choices, can I ask how verified this information is? I have heard it now for weeks if not months, and there are other internet forums that talk about it, yet MR just reviewed the Rivarossi reissue of the Big Boy and their newly tooled boxcar with no mention of it. The Hornby website. to the extent I could find, makes no mention of it. Hornby had a table at November's Trainfest (which isn't cheap) so at least as of then they were still all in.
Anyway ...
I would be sad to see any of our manufacturers or suppliers disappear, even the ones I do not buy from or who are in other scales than I am, because the more there are the more it shows strength in the hobby (which matters quite a bit when a manufacturer or importer needs to go to their bank for a loan or line of credit, the mother's milk of business success these days).
But I NEED Kadee for their couplers (love their freight cars, but need the couplers). It is hard to think of any one other manufacturer who offers a product which has no practical or acceptable alternative for me.
As a scratchbuilder and kit-mingler, I'd hate to lose Tichy for their door and window castings, but there also is Grandt Line and Rix.
I'd hate to lose Walthers for their structures but there are other structures (not to mention my shelves of to be built kits, and the similar big supply at swap meets).
Kadee is essential.
Dave Nelson
Lots of good companys but the best is Woodland Scenics. They have always helped with broken or missing parts. Sometimes their ballast gets a bad rap but my entire layout is done with it with no problem. I find most of the time people are making a mistake when they have problems with this product like it floats away, ussually that means it was not pre-wet enough.
Kadee. I am nowhere without them. Also need Tichy and Woodland Scenics.