I've always wanted about 20 logging cars but when I look at the cost I find my self shaking my head. These cars are fairly simple, have the same or less detail then some of the other cars on the market, are made up of a 1/4 of the material then say a hopper or a box car. So why so expensive?
Fergie
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5959
If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007
Do you mean flats or skeleton cars?
I could see that skeleton cars would be special. A box car or hopper model can use the entire structure of the car, base, sides and top, to provide structural strength, but a skeleton car can't do that. It's got to be engineered more like a full-scale car.
Flats, on the other hand, should be simple models. Maybe it's just supply and demand?
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I bought 2 cars at roughly 22 Each recently a tank car and a shorty passenger car I think it is supply and demand Logging cars are more specialized so people who want them are willing to pay more
Joe Staten Island West
Hi, Fergie!
I would guess that since the manufacturing cost, including die-making, and molding/casting, is about the same for a box car as a skeleton log car, the price would have to be higher per unit for the log cars due to a smaller market in order to recoup the manufacturing cost...
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Gary M. Collins gmcrailgNOSPAM@gmail.com
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"Common Sense, Ain't!" -- G. M. Collins
http://fhn.site90.net
Yeah, it's likely the small market. Back when NWSL started, logging was a bit more popular--not so much now.
You know, you can build your own. These cars are pretty simple. And, there were a lot of home-built cars (I think). Also, if you need a large batch, you can speed production by using various self-designed assembly jigs.
Ed
I don't see any reason for them to be as expensive as they are and have always wondered about this, also. Kadee's log cars have been available for generations, any tooling costs have long since been recouped; but, they still charge an arm and a leg for them!
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
Like you I've wondered why they were a touch too high. I made some out of old cabeese picked up at train shows for around $5 to $7 each. I believe there was an article on this in MRR a couple of years ago (maybe more).
Jarrell
Fergie,
The Rivarossi skeleton diecast cars come as a 2 pack- retail for $55 but can be had for around $40. I picked some up last year at a swap meet in Portland for $35. At my age (50+) the fact they are already built is a plus. I don't have to strain my eyes trying to build them. They seem to run decent and look good too. Take a look at some.....
I like Jarell's idea as this would fit my Rwy's theme of "anything goes". Mad Lat: I hear ya! That's why I have really thick glasses. This getting old is really frustrating!
If you can find them, MDC Roundhouse made white metal kits of skeleton log cars in three packs and they were reasonably priced. I have an even dozen of them and although they need to be painted, assembled and decaled, they do make into nice log cars. I'm 63, have glasses and love to build kits, so don't see building as a problem.
Many logging car kits are made of metal, so this increases costs at the basic wholesale level.
It was mentioned that the more limited market is partly responsible. That's true, a lot like narrowgauge. But both logging and narrowgauge seem to hold their own in terms of interest. HOn3 is definitely up overall, but both tend to be regional markets of varying intensity.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
If I was going to acquire a bunch of log cars I would build my own. Check out the various hobby shops for their molding kits. It would not be that hard to cast the main frame of a logging buggie, add a set of trucks and other details such as the couplers.
I too have a few boxes of the old Roundhouse kits, the log carts, the mining carts, they sure were cheap (then).
No wonder Hornby is re-releasing the old Rivarossi log cars, also not that Bachmann has also recently brought out its logging carts. Model Power is also re-releasing the old Mantua log carts amongst other.
Also, check out those hobby shops which carry molding equipment such as micro mart or Horizon.
I bought lots of used log cars and old kits, Mantua, and Roundhouse metal kits for a song, seems you either do logging or NOT do logging, Roundhouse back then did lots of logging equipment, locos, log cars, even whole fire trains which I lucked into, they are very easy to make log bunks, remember seeing log cars made from old boxcar frames out in B.C. years ago.
A number of logging companies built their own cars in their own shops, sometimes using the remains of cars wrecked on their connecting Class 1 (bought as scrap, for scrap prices.)
My favorite prototype logger had a lot of disconnects that were basically square frames of heavy timber with a kingpin for a log bunk centered on top. Axle bearings were bolted to the timber (look, Ma, no springs!) as were all the usual air brake components. I'm sure they were built in the company shops when blizzards closed the line for the winter.
Then, they used those disconnects for EVERYTHING. Flats and gons were the obvious ones, but they also built house cars, tank cars (fuel and water) and even passenger cars (bodies rode on the log bunks.) Funniest of all were the cabooses - a carbody the size of Superman's telephone booth centered on a single disconnect.
If you're freelancing your logger, any kind of odd rolling stock is possible.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with some really odd rolling stock)
You can get Keystone stuff for reasonable, their log cars are great!