RTR vs. Kits

[Anonymous]

I like RTR's. Kits (for me anyway) are too complicated. [|)]

[vsmith]

I would prefer kits, but I'm in Large Scale there is very little to choose from.

[dehusman]

I like to kitbash and modify rolling stock to my prototype, its tough with RTR.

Dave H.

[EL PARRo]

I prefer rtr, but I don't mind assembling kits. I usually buy kits instead of rtr because they're cheaper.

[dave9999]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

I like RTR's. Kits (for me anyway) are too complicated. [|)]

The kits are usually no more complicated than installing the trucks,a few
details and snapping the body and chassis together. When did the "model"
in modelrailroad disappear? If assembling a boxcar has become too
complicated for todays "modeler" whats next? Do we have someone else
build our layouts, lay our track, run our trains? I've read numerous post
on this forum about RTR and everyone is either complaining about the
quality or just don't want pay the price for them. Well I say buy kits and assemble
them.Remember that model railroading is about crafting and skill. Not
about taking a car out of the box and running it around the track. Our laziness
is why manufacturers make RTR and why they can charge twenty bucks
for them!!! Dave

[CBQ_Guy]

Well I prefer both, in a way, actually. I prefer the kits because they cost much less and I like assembling them sometimes.

I prefer the RTR because, they're, uh, ready to run! But for what they cost, I don't have too many.

[BRAKIE]

I could not vote as I buy both the kits and RTR in order for me to fill out my freight car roster..I do like the RTR cars though..

[CP5415]

Even thought I have bought RTR & will probably continue to do so, I prefer the kits as they are cheaper.

Gordon

[bruce22]

kit's for me until these old eyes and a steady hand give out.

[Anonymous]

[:)]Outta the box and onto the track--that's the way I like 'em! I wouldn' be adverse to trying my luck with a kit in the future, though. It could be fun. My skill level at the moment however doesn't inspire me to tackle kits at this time.

[tomwatkins]

I definitely prefer kits. I enjoy model building and like detailing locomotives and cars to more closely resemble the prototypes they represent.

Tom Watkins

[Anonymous]

Kits all the way!

ive never bought a car or a loco, but im only going to use kits as it makes the whole project more mine....and as my goal is to make a totally custom railroad, kits offer the most customization.....why pay 10-20 bucks for ready to roll when im just going to strip it down repaint it and use custom decals anyway? I can buy 4 kit cars for the price of 1 RTR at my LHS

I cant wait til i can start buying them wooT! (gotta pay first months bills) so january i assume)

[Anonymous]

Kits....Kitbashing...or Scratchbuilding ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

I forgot that in rollingstock kits you only had to asemble the trucks and the sides of the car and snapping the chasis together. I may try one, how hard could it be? But loco kits, there's another story..........

[Hawks05]

just starting its easier to get RTR stuff but now that i have a lot of RTR stuff i bought a few kits to try and build. hopefully i can do it. i need to get glue and stuff yet this weekend hopefully.

[IRONROOSTER]

I buy both. I enjoy building the kits, but I don't have the time to do it all from kits. Also, in S scale there is a very heavy trend to RTR. The two major manufacturers - American Models and S Helper only do RTR (AM used to do kits but switched). What I really like are the old wood kits, which I find occasionally at train shows. Once I get the rr running I will also do a little scratch/parts building.
Enjoy
Paul

[fishplate]

I prefer kits,undecorated no-less, in rolling stock and locos. I find the removing
of cast on details, adding detail, painting, and decaling is a stress relief for me.
It's very enjoyable!

[Anonymous]

I like both, but prefer kits as they're usually cheaper. RTR models are very nice, but there's more of a sense of achievement with a kit, and a well-engineered kit is a pleasure to assemble.

[Anonymous]

I voted "kits". Although I do some of each; scratch build, RTR and kits, I do kits for rolling stock and haven't, as yet, bought my first loco.

I scratch build structures, scenery and the electronics (I'm a DC guy) that activate crossings and turnouts, etc. I build rolling stock from kits, I haven't tried scratch building rolling stock yet. I plan to buy RTR motive power then detail it.

[Anonymous]

kits, kits, kits, kits. Where's the challenge in opening a box and plopping it on the rails?

It's up to you, just so long as i can still get kits when I want.

Neil

[Anonymous]

Kits for rolling stock, RTR for loco's (because I don't have a spray booth, as soon as I get one, there's a couple of Resin M420W's and GMD-1's coming my way)

[Anonymous]

i like rtr if they are built right because they are more sturdy but i like to make sure things are done right and build them myself with kits ( it also gives me more of a feeling that I created the layout)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SuperChiefFan

[:)]Outta the box and onto the track--that's the way I like 'em! I wouldn' be adverse to trying my luck with a kit in the future, though. It could be fun. My skill level at the moment however doesn't inspire me to tackle kits at this time.

[;)]DONT WAIT BUY UM NOW! THEY ARE CHEAPER AND THEY INVOLVE BUILDING WHICH IS PART OF THE HOBBY, RIGHT?! [8D] they are not that hard to assemble, most only require you to snap on the body and snap in the trucks with out glue in most cases

[Anonymous]

Kits.

See my thread "RTR. Is it just me or is it truely crap?" to find out why.

[Mikeygaw]

i prefer RTR because i'm not very skilled at building things, but i go for both

[Martin4]

I prefer kits for my rolling stock but more easily go RTR for locos since I would care about ruining a 200can$ loco, I think most locos are a bit complicated to paint, but I like detailing them. I own 62 locos and only 4 of them are undecorated. But I only have 3 RTR cars on a 414 car roster.

Martin
Québec City

[on30francisco]

I prefer RTR for locos. I like to scratchbuild rolling stock and structures out of wood but sometimes will use some of the resin and plastic structure kits.

[Anonymous]

I like kits, for the most part, but Intermountain cylindrical grain hoppers are the type of kit that I prefer in RTR<
Too damn many little parts!!!!!!!!!

[nfmisso]

The unwillingness to try kits expressed by several above amazes me. Putting together an Athearn, MDC, or Accurail kit ranks up there in skill level with changing an incadescent light bulb in a bedroom light fixture - well actually below that, because to get to the light fixutre most of us under 7' tall need a something to stand on. They aren't called "shake the box kits" because they are difficult........

[Anonymous]

Forget RTR rolling stock. Kits are the only way to go! (I have seen the light[;)])