I am trying to assemble an HO train with a vintage 1860's-1890's look. I would like to use equipment that is considered to be more than just "train-set" quality. As my layout will use 18" radius curves, I am trying to focus on shorter cars. I am looking for suggestions for locomotives, passenger cars, frieight cars, cabooses, etc.
There was an advertisement in either the September or October Railroad Model Craftsman magazine of a company that specializes in antibellum and civil war locomotives and rolling stock. You may be able to find a back order issue with the company's name in it. All I have in front of me is this month's issue and they didn't advertise this month for some reason....chuck
~G4
19 Years old, modeling the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railroad of Western Washington in 1927 in 6X6 feet.
I believe Bachmann is currently selling Spectrum 4-4-0's. I recently purchased one of their 4-6-0 w/s and am very satsified.
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
The Mantua General with the tender drive is about the only loco that would cover 1860 to 1870. The Roundhouse locos are a stretch for 1885, more like 1900 to 1915. I have all the Roundhouse locos. I have the Spectrum 4-4-0 and 4-6-0. Those are about 1915.
There are the Bachmann 4-4-0 old time tender drive and maybe some IHC 4-4-0 old time tender drive. 1870 to 1880. The motor is in the tender and coupled to the loco by a drive shaft.
I have all the above locos and the tender drive can run pretty good if you fine tune them. I have done that plus put small DCC decoders in the tender drives.
Rolling stock.
http://www.earlyrail.org/freight-cars.html
Check online first for prices and availability. You do not have to pay full price unless you choose to. The Roundhouse and Bachmann are made in China and come here pretty much in batch production supplies. A lot of Roundhouse stuff has been discontinued and waiting for the new stock.Might be the same for Bachmann but I have not checked lately as I have all I need.
There are still some Roundhouse locos around with DCC/sound that have the MRC decoders. Stay away from them. The newer ones will have SoundTraxx Tsunami decoders. Do not know if all will be DCC ready, i.e., no decoders if you only want DC. The Roundhouse 4-4-0 use to only be available with the MRC sound decoder. That is how I had to buy mine two years ago.
But it is you railroad.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
cwclark There was an advertisement in either the September or October Railroad Model Craftsman magazine of a company that specializes in antibellum and civil war locomotives and rolling stock. You may be able to find a back order issue with the company's name in it. All I have in front of me is this month's issue and they didn't advertise this month for some reason....chuck
B.T.S. - Bill's Train Shop (Better Than Scratch!)
Cyril Durrenburger has done some excellent work taking inexpensive Life-Like and Mantua "old timer" cars and upgrading them. If you check this link dealing with his decal company, I believe the "Decorated Model" links to sample pics of his decals on cars are all cars he'd kitbashed. They are a bit more towards the 1890-1900 period but show what can be done.
Austin Modelling Associates
Got home from work and here's a list from the October MRC mag of those that advertise old railroad locos, cars, and buildings. Some have already been mentioned:
www.smrtrains.com www.btsrr.com www.labellemodels.com www.yeoldehuffnpuff.com
www.bachmanntrains.com www.bethlehemcarworks.com www.imaginethatlaserart.com
www.factorydirecttrains.com and www.alpinemodels.com
This stuff looks real expensive. Hope this helps....chuck
Mantua had some old time cars that looked pretty good. I dont know if Model Power is re releasing them or not. You can probably pick some up at train shows. I may have a few...email me. Jerry
http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Central-Valley-N-W-Combo-Door-Ventilated-Box-Car_W0QQitemZ160375486384QQcmdZViewItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item25571fb7b0
http://cgi.ebay.com/Central-Valley-Pennsylvania-Union-Line-Box-Car-HO-Kit_W0QQitemZ130342859009QQcmdZViewItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item1e590a3101
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
There are some nice wood and resin kits available but the stuff is pricey. Good detail if you want to pay the prices. The Bachmann/Model Power are more toy like but you can improve them with some work.
The Roundhouse 36 foot rolling stock are around 1900. River City Railroad is selling a lot of what seems to be former MDC/Roundhouse 36 foot kits but some of us suspect they are getting the stuff from China now. About three years ago I some something about them having bought up the old MDC/Roundhouse stock. I tried emailing them but they will not responds anymore.
Anyway, below is a link to the River City site. I have bought from them before.
http://www.rivercityrailroad.com/
I have bought old time stuff from the site below.
http://www.jaystrains.com/
The SMR site someone sent you is O Scale.
The Bachmann engines are 1920's, 1930's era engines. They are too big for 1860's engines and have the wrong style headlights for pre 1900 engines (not to mention an electric turbo).
The Bachmann 4-6-0 also has more modern valve gear.
The Roundhouse engines are not as well detailed and have straight boilers (more typical of a 2-8-0) but have more prototypical headlights.
Bachmann, Mantua, Pocher and IHC/AHM sell cars appropriate to the 1860-1890's. The Roundhouse cars are more detailed for the 1910-1920 era.
BTS, LaBelle Silver Crash models, and others sell era appropriate kits.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Might not be important but the Roundhouse 4-4-0, 2-6-0 and 2-8-0 have identical size boilers. I can switch them on their frames. The headlight type might vary.
Chuck~ Thanks! I have ordered a back issue of the October edition of RMC.~Bill Lightfoot, Huntsville, AL
Below is a link to another old time company. Not cheap. You are paying for detail. Stuff like this is a very small niche market.
http://www.silvercrashcarworks.com/
They are also in the Yahoo Early Rail group, about 1870 to 1915 era.
richg1998 Below is a link to another old time company. Not Cheap. You are paying for detail.
On the other hand a Kadee PS-1 RTR 40 ft boxcar sells for about the same price at Walthers. So while they are not cheap, they aren't out of the ballpark either.
dehusmanrichg1998 Below is a link to another old time company. Not Cheap. You are paying for detail. On the other hand a Kadee PS-1 RTR 40 ft boxcar sells for about the same price at Walthers. So while they are not cheap, they aren't out of the ballpark either.
Yeah, I know but I included that becasue that are alway some clueless who rant about the cars not being available for five dollars.
Yeah, but the Kadee car is complete.
Quotes from the web site
"Kit Prices (not including trucks, couplers, detail parts or lettering)"
"Each Silver Crash Car Works kit comes with instructions and a list of parts like grab-irons and brake rigging (not included) that you will need to get your car looking just like the ones in our photos. We design our cars to accept Kadee old-time couplers, but they are sold without couplers and without trucks. Please refer to individual car pages for our truck recommendations, and for information about the decals or dry transfers you will need to letter your kit."
So you're probably talking at least $10-$15 more to complete your "kit".
Incomplete kits are a real turnoff for me. I buy a kit so I don't have to get all the parts together. If I have to find and buy the detail parts and lettering on my own, I might as well get all of it on my own and save a few dollars.
Enjoy
Paul
It is all a matter of choice. No body is forcing anyone to buy what they do not want. We are free to buy what we want or build it. Many modelers that buy the "incomplete kits" want their own trucks and couplers. There is a valid reason for "incomplete kits" plus they also provide fodder for Ranters.
I prefer to model the kits and enjoy the challenge. I built a flatcar no one wants to manufacture. Rather than Rant about no manufacturer making one, I built my own. Cost me probably $45.00 and quite a few hours of work, but I have what I want. I am not good a scratbuilding so there was trial and error. Freedom of choice.
True Enough.Clover House has Dry Transfer Decals available for the 1800's and most of the early to mid 20th Century.
I run all different periods depending on what engines and rolling stock I put out
Here is my time frame that you are interested in
51% share holder in the ME&O ( Wife owns the other 49% )
ME&O
The early 4-4-0s were put out by Rivarossi--IHC and Bachman I suspect they were all the same manufacturer
Here is an interesting comparison
There are several early passengers cars out
In the pic the blue first is an Overton ( frequently on EBAY)--the Orange one was part of a Rivarossi BARNUM circus train ( don't know what it actually represents}--the red one is an Overland and can be bought here
http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/HO-Scale-Passenger-Cars-MDC-RoundhouseHO_PAS_480_1.html