doctorwayne riogrande5761 While I do still buy Accurail, I get the bye bye Accurail. It's because some prefer detailed models and may not have the time of a retired person to carefully removed the molded on grab irons and add separate parts themselves, and also have the skill you have. With a little empathy and imagination, you can see where lack of skill and time can be a part of decision making; add to that, it requires a lot of time to perform all the various aspects of having a complete layout with complete scenery and complete finished rolling stock. Believe me, I do get the "time" issue. Although I'm retired, I have lots of other stuff to do besides trains, and for pretty-well all of it (modelling, maintenance and other work around the house and yard, and reno work on my kids' homes), I am a slow (but fairly meticulous) worker. For those who don't have the time, or skill, or inclination to replace cast-on detail, check out this link, sent to me by a friend. It shows some amazing results for Accurail cars, with no removal of cast-on details. Wayne
riogrande5761 While I do still buy Accurail, I get the bye bye Accurail. It's because some prefer detailed models and may not have the time of a retired person to carefully removed the molded on grab irons and add separate parts themselves, and also have the skill you have. With a little empathy and imagination, you can see where lack of skill and time can be a part of decision making; add to that, it requires a lot of time to perform all the various aspects of having a complete layout with complete scenery and complete finished rolling stock.
Believe me, I do get the "time" issue. Although I'm retired, I have lots of other stuff to do besides trains, and for pretty-well all of it (modelling, maintenance and other work around the house and yard, and reno work on my kids' homes), I am a slow (but fairly meticulous) worker. For those who don't have the time, or skill, or inclination to replace cast-on detail, check out this link, sent to me by a friend. It shows some amazing results for Accurail cars, with no removal of cast-on details.
Wayne
RapidoIf you compare it with the meat reefer, which was done many years ago at our old factory, there really is no comparison. This is a far superior product
.
It is a beautiful model.
Please keep producing some undecorated models. I did not get any of these, but when you make something that suits my fancy, I will get a 4 pack.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
stokesdaThis project has been languishing on my desk for months, and every time I think about it, I shudder at the thought of drilling dozens of tiny holes with a pin vise for hours on end, so I usually do something else instead, not necessarily hobby-related.
Dan,
Don't give up. I used to dread adding details, but now that the skill set is in place, driling all those tiny holes and changing/adding details has become a relaxing part of the hobby for me.
Wayne, thanks for the link to the Accurail cars. They look pretty good! They just might inspire me to get off my butt and do some weathering!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
riogrande5761While I do still buy Accurail, I get the bye bye Accurail. It's because some prefer detailed models and may not have the time of a retired person to carefully removed the molded on grab irons and add separate parts themselves, and also have the skill you have. With a little empathy and imagination, you can see where lack of skill and time can be a part of decision making; add to that, it requires a lot of time to perform all the various aspects of having a complete layout with complete scenery and complete finished rolling stock.
RapidoThis is a far superior product and I'm very proud of Bill and everyone at the LRC factory where we made the car. -Jason
I'm looking forward to your upcoming New York Central Pressure Differential car
Thank You, Ed
dh28473I wonder why rapido chose this car and for northern pacific to build them?
Well I can't speak for Northern Pacific procurement managers in the 1920s but I can speak for Rapido. We chose this car because it was signature car for NP and it was very common all over North America for almost 50 years.
Bill Schneider did all of the design work, with a lot of help from the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association. It was a collaborative effort.
If you compare it with the meat reefer, which was done many years ago at our old factory, there really is no comparison. This is a far superior product and I'm very proud of Bill and everyone at the LRC factory where we made the car.
-Jason
Jason Shron - President - Rapido Trains Inc. - RapidoTrains.comMy HO scale Kingston Sub layout: Facebook.com/KingstonSub
While I do still buy Accurail, I get the bye bye Accurail. It's because some prefer detailed models and may not have the time of a retired person to carefully removed the molded on grab irons and add separate parts themselves, and also have the skill you have. With a little empathy and imagination, you can see where lack of skill and time can be a part of decision making; add to that, it requires a lot of time to perform all the various aspects of having a complete layout with complete scenery and complete finished rolling stock.
Ditto on this and your follow-on post. I have a Walthers 5-unit well car set that I'm upgrading with Plano walkways and wire grabs. This project has been languishing on my desk for months, and every time I think about it, I shudder at the thought of drilling dozens of tiny holes with a pin vise for hours on end, so I usually do something else instead, not necessarily hobby-related. It's at the point where I'm about to box it up and stick it back on the bottom of the pile for a while.
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
wjstix I bought two, one in the original 1923 paint scheme, and one from the c.1945 scheme (small 'monad' herald, black roof and ends). I think they're very well done, down to having the correct type of air brakes (K vs. AB). Not cheap, but for someone like me modelling NP territory (Minnesota) it was well worth it. BTW the instruction sheet says the small end door on one end is for lumber loading. Pre-war lumber was often shipped in very long pieces; the lumber door allowed you to bring the lumber piece in through the side door, slide it into the lumber door to get the lumber all the way into the car, then slide it back out of the lumber door.
I bought two, one in the original 1923 paint scheme, and one from the c.1945 scheme (small 'monad' herald, black roof and ends). I think they're very well done, down to having the correct type of air brakes (K vs. AB). Not cheap, but for someone like me modelling NP territory (Minnesota) it was well worth it.
BTW the instruction sheet says the small end door on one end is for lumber loading. Pre-war lumber was often shipped in very long pieces; the lumber door allowed you to bring the lumber piece in through the side door, slide it into the lumber door to get the lumber all the way into the car, then slide it back out of the lumber door.
rrebell I have the skill but don't want to use the time and even my best work is not as good as todays high end RTR.
I have the skill but don't want to use the time and even my best work is not as good as todays high end RTR.
Same here. And honestly I don't have time for even the things on my plate this year and next year, let alone add on more.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
doctorwayneI don't get the by(e)-by(e) Accurail, though?
doctorwayne rrebell Can get them in 1930's paint scheme, if I can get these, Accurail by-by. Well, if you click on Jason's first link, then click on Rapido News 100, you can scroll down to see the '30s paint scheme. I don't get the by(e)-by(e) Accurail, though? Accurail offers similar paint schemes on their version of the somewhat-similar USRA doublesheathed boxcars, but they don't have comparable details nor the radial roof. I don't have their stand-in version of the NP car, but I do have quite a few of their USRA doublesheathed cars, and have modified them to suit my requirements... Of course they're not the equal of the Rapido cars, but because I needed a dozen-or-so, they're what I could afford. rrebell You really want to sell out, do 36' boxcars up to your standards. And likewise for those...I bought a dozen of Accurail's Dominion/Fowler boxcars and lettered them for my home road.... ...adding wire grabirons, metal roofs and new roofwalks. I also change the doors on a few of them. While they still need to be weathered, they filled a need at an affordable price. I haven't ignored Rapido completely, either, as I bought the kit for the meat reefer, although I modified it, too... A nice car, for sure, but I simply can't afford to buy them in volume. Wayne
rrebell Can get them in 1930's paint scheme, if I can get these, Accurail by-by.
Can get them in 1930's paint scheme, if I can get these, Accurail by-by.
Well, if you click on Jason's first link, then click on Rapido News 100, you can scroll down to see the '30s paint scheme.
I don't get the by(e)-by(e) Accurail, though?
Accurail offers similar paint schemes on their version of the somewhat-similar USRA doublesheathed boxcars, but they don't have comparable details nor the radial roof. I don't have their stand-in version of the NP car, but I do have quite a few of their USRA doublesheathed cars, and have modified them to suit my requirements...
Of course they're not the equal of the Rapido cars, but because I needed a dozen-or-so, they're what I could afford.
rrebell You really want to sell out, do 36' boxcars up to your standards.
And likewise for those...I bought a dozen of Accurail's Dominion/Fowler boxcars and lettered them for my home road....
...adding wire grabirons, metal roofs and new roofwalks. I also change the doors on a few of them. While they still need to be weathered, they filled a need at an affordable price.
I haven't ignored Rapido completely, either, as I bought the kit for the meat reefer, although I modified it, too...
A nice car, for sure, but I simply can't afford to buy them in volume.
RapidoWe're completely sold out, so try Googling to see what stores have them in stock or you can try that auction site.
There are some here... if you act quickly!
https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/brands/Rapido.html
Cheers, Ed
rrebellYou really want to sell out, do 36' boxcars up to your standards.
Paul3....I do wonder what the little door on the one end of the boxcar is for?
Depending on what's being shipped, it's either an inspection door for grain, or a loading door for lumber or rail.
A friend of mine picked up four of them and I got to see them last night. They're very impressive. Razor sharp paint & lettering (I was able to read the repack date on the sill and the inspection date on the air tank).
I do wonder what the little door on the one end of the boxcar is for? And the use of a brake lever instead of a brake wheel was probably not popular with train crews.
Rapido We're completely sold out, so try Googling to see what stores have them in stock or you can try that auction site. We made 1300 extra cars to last until Christmas, but they sold in a week. We completely misread the demand. If you have trouble finding them don't worry too much as we'll do another run in a year or so. -Jason
We're completely sold out, so try Googling to see what stores have them in stock or you can try that auction site.
We made 1300 extra cars to last until Christmas, but they sold in a week. We completely misread the demand. If you have trouble finding them don't worry too much as we'll do another run in a year or so.
I've ordered 10, but I have yet to pick them up. The photos on the Rapido site look fantastic.
I am looking forward to my shop visit.
Ed
Has anyone purchased one and what do you think I'm thinking of getting one.