I have purchased a few "1/87" scale vehicles an feel that they are not always true to scale. I would like to know from the experienced modelers, which manufacturers can I trust to produce really true to scale HO vehicles and figures and which ones should I avoid?
Thanks
wdcrvr
I think the Classic Metal Works line of vehicles is 1/87 -- at least they look right when placed next to rolling stock and structures. The Jordan old time vehicles and wagons are 1/87 or darn close to it.
I know that some of the "HO scale" slotcars of years past were not 1/87 at all but were sized to fit the motors.
Be mindful that some vehicle sellers can be deliberately obscure as to how they claim a scale -- AHM used to have a line of vehicles (and they were very nice little models) that they advertised as "Looks great on HO layouts!" Notice -- no claim that they were HO, and they weren't HO.
Dave Nelson
The Model Power, Fresh Cherries, Trident, Herpa, River Point Station, Athearn, Atlas, Neo and Riko cars are all pretty much right on for scale.
I'm sure there's more ....
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
If you want to build and paint your own. I know they are to scale and there are many others, like has been already mentioned:
http://www.williamsbrothersmodelproducts.com/cars.html
http://www.1-87vehicles.org/index.php
Frank
IMO I think that most companies do a good job of making stuff in the correct scale but others are not so good at it. I make it a habit to check out everything very thoroughly before I buy it. One source you may look into if you can find one in your area is an antique toy show or something like it. Keep a lookout for the old Matchbox cars, I dont know what scale they are but they are so close that the difference is not noticeable. At least not by me.
Keep it on the high shiny stuff. Neil
In general I matchbox Hot Wheels etc Cars are too big but the trucks are OK I suppose I compromised a bit when I built my Hess Oil Complex to display my collection of Hess Mini Tankers bu then they only have to make me happy.
Joe Staten Island West
I use Life-Like SceneMaster vehicles and they are 1/87 or very close too. Plus they are very cheap.
My Layout Photos- http://s1293.photobucket.com/user/ajwarshal/library/
Co-owner of the proposed CT River Valley RR (HO scale) http://home.comcast.net/~docinct/CTRiverValleyRR/
While Hot Wheels and other similary "toy" cars are not the most detailed and prototypical they sell for $1-$4 at Wal Mart. They are not Ho scale but it seems to me there would be a large market for them if they would produce a line in 1:87 scale. Like women's clothing we have allowed the market to push up prices on HO scale vehicles way beyond what is reasonable for the cost to produce them.
I like to use the Classic Metal Works Vehicals & have found that one of the best online sorce is M B Klein.
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/
Athearn Ford Truck CMW Dodge car CMR Cars Athearn Truck CMW IH Truck CMW Truck
Athearn Ford Truck CMW Dodge car
CMR Cars Athearn Truck CMW IH Truck CMW Truck
CMR Cars Athearn Truck
CMW IH Truck CMW Truck
CMW IH Truck
CMW Truck
eaglescout While Hot Wheels and other similary "toy" cars are not the most detailed and prototypical they sell for $1-$4 at Wal Mart. They are not Ho scale but it seems to me there would be a large market for them if they would produce a line in 1:87 scale. Like women's clothing we have allowed the market to push up prices on HO scale vehicles way beyond what is reasonable for the cost to produce them.
Hot Wheels DID bring out a line of 1/87th cars a few years ago. Never heard of them ? - that's because they fell flat on their face and never made any more of them after the initial release. Too bad, there was some nice 60's and 70's cars that just needed a wheel change. Among the initial release was a 64 Galaxie, 70's Challenger, 70's Superbird, 70's Mustang and a 55 Chevey Panel among others. Even when they were new they were hard to find. There were some great cars for the 70's in the "future releases" list, but they were dropped and never produced
One problem I have with most HO scale cars is a lack of more modern vehicles.
Mark R.Hot Wheels DID bring out a line of 1/87th cars a few years ago. Never heard of them ? - that's because they fell flat on their face and never made any more of them after the initial release. Too bad, there was some nice 60's and 70's cars that just needed a wheel change. Among the initial release was a 64 Galaxie, 70's Challenger, 70's Superbird, 70's Mustang and a 55 Chevey Panel among others. Even when they were new they were hard to find. There were some great cars for the 70's in the "future releases" list, but they were dropped and never produced
As someone getting back into the Hobby after many years, I've got to agree that I'm shocked at some of the prices of HO scale vehicles. Seems it would cost almost as much as my rolling stock to buy enough vehicles for my small layout. I'm trying to keep my eye out for someone looking to sell a bunch of them at once. I know what you're all thinking .... good luck with that!
I have not measured which manufacturer's vehicles are exactly 1:87 but I have noticed that the Busch vehicles seem to be small in relation to the CMW and Athearn stuff. I first noticed this when I bought a Busch 1950's Buick Roadmaster which I believe was a rather large car. However, it is smaller than the CMW '56 Chevies which is not correct. I also have a few of Busch's 40's and 50's British sports cars and despite the fact that they were small cars to begin with, the Busch models are so small that they are distracting.
My solution will be to put the relatively smaller cars towards the back of the layout so I can use their size to advantage by creating a little forced perspective.
One mistake I have made is buying cars from Britain. They claim to be 1:87 but in fact they are much larger (relatively) than the North American stuff. I have two very nicely modelled MGB's but they won't find their way onto the layout because they are as big as the CMW '56 Chevies. I also bought a Morris Minor. It is bigger than the Busch Buick Roadmaster. I suspect that what the British dealers are calling HO is actually OO.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I have one other suggestion look on Ebay there are a number of overseas seller mainly from Taiwan (I think) that sell. HO or close to it cars. These are not highly detailed models but rather plastic shells with non rolling wheels (an advantage for our purposes). Use these cars in the background and save the highly detailed ones for up close.I suggest buying from one source so that the vehicles are the same size relative to each other. I prefer slightly smaller vehicles because they give a sense of distance and look better in parking lots.
hon30critter I also bought a Morris Minor. Dave
I also bought a Morris Minor.
Did t happen to have a piano dropped on it's roof? Seems Top Gear has a thing for the Morris Minor.
The variation on vehicle size applies to people too. I have many "engineers" that would have to stretch to be able to lay across both track rails.
TomLutman hon30critter I also bought a Morris Minor. Dave Did it happen to have a piano dropped on it's roof? Seems Top Gear has a thing for the Morris Minor.
hon30critter
I also bought a Morris Minor. Dave Did it happen to have a piano dropped on it's roof? Seems Top Gear has a thing for the Morris Minor.
Did it happen to have a piano dropped on it's roof? Seems Top Gear has a thing for the Morris Minor.
[/quote]
Mark R. eaglescout While Hot Wheels and other similary "toy" cars are not the most detailed and prototypical they sell for $1-$4 at Wal Mart. They are not Ho scale but it seems to me there would be a large market for them if they would produce a line in 1:87 scale. Like women's clothing we have allowed the market to push up prices on HO scale vehicles way beyond what is reasonable for the cost to produce them. Hot Wheels DID bring out a line of 1/87th cars a few years ago. Never heard of them ? - that's because they fell flat on their face and never made any more of them after the initial release. Too bad, there was some nice 60's and 70's cars that just needed a wheel change. Among the initial release was a 64 Galaxie, 70's Challenger, 70's Superbird, 70's Mustang and a 55 Chevey Panel among others. Even when they were new they were hard to find. There were some great cars for the 70's in the "future releases" list, but they were dropped and never produced Mark.
Mark,
So, how did they fall flat? The fact they are no longer available could indicate that fact. But, the fact that we cannot find them much for resale and that many of us are looking for cheaper alternatives would indicate there is a market. Not the millions for 3-8 year old boys to play with but certainly thousands for HO scale model railroaders. If I could purchase ten cars for the price of one today I would have a much larger fleet of vehicles on my layout.
I agree with Joe, not much for modern stuff out there, at least stuff that is under $20. The market is flooded with good ol' transition era stuff, like everybody that has a model railroad is doing the transition era. One of my LHS's has a bin full of Athearn stuff, the problem is that the newest vehicle in the whole bunch is 1957. Oh well, I keep watching the auction and swap sites.
In a pinch, while setting up my every-other-year Christmas layout, I rob vehicles from the grandson's "Hotwheels" and "Matchbox" collection, as the scene is a busy downtown area. There are a few that don't look too bad. Just don't have any people close by.
Still looking for that elusive bulk pnuematic truck and the front discharge redi-mix truck. Yes, I'm very familular with the "1:87 vehicle web site", but all of that is for display, showing the handi work of many expert modelers and what is for sale is like making a down payment on the full size version.
I think another thread in the forums is "what would you make with a 3-D printer?
I keep looking.
Mike.
My You Tube
Right now there are over 8,500 1/87 vehicles listed on ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/dsc/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=1&_nkw=1%2087%20vehicle&_fscr=1
Not sure why anyone has a hard time finding low priced high quality vehicles. I sure don't.................
Jim
CPfan As someone getting back into the Hobby after many years, I've got to agree that I'm shocked at some of the prices of HO scale vehicles. Seems it would cost almost as much as my rolling stock to buy enough vehicles for my small layout. I'm trying to keep my eye out for someone looking to sell a bunch of them at once. I know what you're all thinking .... good luck with that!
Here's my method..I use what I call the "Hollywood effect"..I place the higher price trucks in the front scenes and the cheaper and cruder looking trucks in the rear..Like a camera I focus your eyes on the front scene while using "props" in the background scenes.
It works since 99% of the viewers only look at the close up scenes and the "actors" the trains..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Just want to thank everyone for their replies.
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
hon30critter have not measured which manufacturer's vehicles are exactly 1:87 but I have noticed that the Busch vehicles seem to be small in relation to the CMW and Athearn stuff.
Dave - Busch vehicles are true 1/87 scale, and, yes, some of them appear to be small, because they are small! British vehicles (bought from Britain) are OO scale, which is 1/76, so they are about 10% oversize.
Sometimes I wonder why we go through pains in making realistic looking scenery and take a lot of care in detailing our locos and rolling stock, and then end up populating our layouts with cheap looking, oversize cars and trucks. I have seen a number of pictures in MR and also here in the forum, showing extremely well made layouts, but populated with rather toyish looking, cheap cars with no license plates, or a figure inside.
Sir MadogSometimes I wonder why we go through pains in making realistic looking scenery and take a lot of care in detailing our locos and rolling stock, and then end up populating our layouts with cheap looking, oversize cars and trucks.
Excellent question..One can use the "Hollywood effect" like I mention have the scale cars with drivers and passengers, license plates etc up front the less detailed "prop" cars in the rear.
The thing is to master getting folks to look at the highly detailed front scenes and focusing on the actors(the trains and detailed front scenes) rather then the background.
I read a book on how Hollywood fools the viewers several years ago and tried that method on a HO display ISL that I displayed three times in 94 (95?) and 90% of the train show attendees never saw the truck with a forklift hanging between the dock and trailer in the background even though this ISL was 18 1/2" wide.
eaglescout
Sales weren't what they were expecting. They ended up in the clearance bin at most of the big box stores. Hot Wheels did have a list of the next run of these and there were some great 60's and 70's cars listed, but they never materialized. Contrary to popular belief, more Hot Wheels are purchased by adults than 3-8 year old boys ! Every time I'm in the stores, it's always male adults pawing through the Hot Wheels, I never see any kids looking at them. There are probably more Hot Wheels Collector cars than the usual blue cards.
Hi Ulrich:
I have to call you on your statement that Busch HO vehicles are true 1:87. I went on to the internet and found the dimensions for a 1951 Buick Riviera coupe which is one of the Busch models that I have. Wikpedia states that the '51 Buick was 215" long (17.92'). So, I put my trusty scale ruler up against the Busch model and it came out at about 16.5' as close as I could measure it. That is 1.4' short (8%).
I then measured a CMW '55 Chevy which according to Wikpedia was 195" long, or 16.3'. The CMW Chevy measures almost exactly 16.3'.
Apparently Busch is not as true to scale as you thought, which I sort of knew just by looking at them. However, they will still look fine at the back of the layout. I will have to get a few 1:100 figures to put drivers and passengers in them.
I agree with you that the British 1:76 stuff doesn't fit well.