Hello all,
Why I love Micro-Mark and thier tools; et al!
If you need it and can't find it look here!!!
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
I forgot Sergent Couplers! Those probably bump NCE down one on my list, so I now have a top 5 (5th slot is open to the first taker who makes those SD18s....)
SeeYou190 Who is left? -Kevin
Who is left?
-Kevin
How about Molocos most excellent box cars!
I will say ExactRail, Tangent and Intermountain are mainstays these days.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Here's one that's worth mentioning: Hobbytown of Boston was known for excellent diesel drives, as well as diesel shells that were the most accurate available as far back as the 1950's. Now they're coming back into production with improved state of the art motors, etc. This is something I'm really looking forward to.
Tom
Geez
There are so many:
Woodland scenics
MATH
Athearn
Proto
Bachman spectrum
Kadee
NMRA gauge
This could be a very long list and go on for a while...
Kato- for their SD40-2 and their GP35. They are easy to repaint, and can pull like the real ones
Scale trains- for breathing new life into manufacturers
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
RastafarrPRR8259 I love Boo Rim for taking the art of brass from those who came before to the next level: beautiful well detailed and amazingly painted models that run quieter than just about anything else. Boo Rim? I haven't heard of them before. Have to check them out ASAP. All good answers in here. I do think I'd be remiss if I did not also mention MB Klein for the same reasons earlier mentioned. My LHS leaves a lot to be desired; ModelTrainStuff fills the gap nicely. Stu
I love Boo Rim for taking the art of brass from those who came before to the next level: beautiful well detailed and amazingly painted models that run quieter than just about anything else.
Boo Rim? I haven't heard of them before. Have to check them out ASAP.
All good answers in here. I do think I'd be remiss if I did not also mention MB Klein for the same reasons earlier mentioned. My LHS leaves a lot to be desired; ModelTrainStuff fills the gap nicely.
Stu
Stu--
I am told on good authority that it is Boo Rim Precision who is actually building the brass hybrid locomotives for BLI.
With Ajin Precision and Samhongsa now gone, some of their employees formed other companies, including Sam Model Tech and Boo Rim Precision, who have gone on to raise the bar of HO brass by offering better built models with more detail than before along with cab lights and functioning class lights. With some models most hatches even open and you can handle them without stuff falling off at all. They have stainless steel driver tires that will not wear out and run better than anything else...whisper quiet...but are $1200 and up street price.
I am trading up to them by selling other excess trains including older brass that will never be worth as much. I have a Precision Scale Rock Island 2-8-2 in the mail...and I do have a couple hybrids too (blowout 4-12-2 on layaway).
First of All:
Intermountain, Exactrail and Tangent, who still make undecorated kits.
Intermountain Replacement Metal Wheel Sets.
A-Line Products: Detail Parts, especially the metal Sill Steps!
Yarmouth Models Works: Resin Kits and metal detail parts including Sill Steps and ladders.
Plano Model Products: Stainless Roofwalks and various detail Parts.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Also add Walthers to the list. While at the recent Springfield Mass. show I stopped by one of the vendors to pick up two Walthers building kits. They had about every building that Walthers currently produces on display . It took up about a 70-80' long by 5 ' high sectionof their space at the show. I can remember when the only American building available were the Revell ,Campbell and the Heljan Brewery !! Now we have an amazing selection . ------ Ken
No lying, the Boo Rim locos are seriously tempting. I tend to buy fewer and higher quality locos instead of the scads of lower-tier units I hoovered up in my younger years. Mind you, Rapido locos are already at the top of what I can justify to the Other Half; it'll take a few more years until i can pick up a $1200 loco without sleeping on the couch for several months...
But my dream loco is a brass Pacific Coast Shay. I might be willing to sell my children for one of those.
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
dknelson selector I am unhappy that Hornby is pulling its Rivarossi brand out of the US market. I think they have a good product. Before I name my choices, can I ask how verified this information is? I have heard it now for weeks if not months, and there are other internet forums that talk about it, yet MR just reviewed the Rivarossi reissue of the Big Boy and their newly tooled boxcar with no mention of it. The Hornby website. to the extent I could find, makes no mention of it. Hornby had a table at November's Trainfest (which isn't cheap)...
selector I am unhappy that Hornby is pulling its Rivarossi brand out of the US market. I think they have a good product.
Before I name my choices, can I ask how verified this information is? I have heard it now for weeks if not months, and there are other internet forums that talk about it, yet MR just reviewed the Rivarossi reissue of the Big Boy and their newly tooled boxcar with no mention of it. The Hornby website. to the extent I could find, makes no mention of it. Hornby had a table at November's Trainfest (which isn't cheap)...
Dave, I have no proof to offer you. I'm going by what two posters claim they read in emails sent to them by Rivarossi on the Atlas Rescue Forum. Also, as stated there, Rivarossi were initially listed as display participants in the Amherst Show, but then they withdrew. Unless anyone knows differently, and can state that the company was represented in that show, I'd say it's looking gloomy.
-Crandell
There is a Hornby forum. Perhaps interested parties could inquire there:
http://www.hornby.com/us-en/forum/international/?p=1
There is also a thread on the Atlas Rescue Forum called H.O. U. S. Rivarossi Line Kaputt.
faller and volmeer are my favorites. model building takes a huge amount of time and these to model lines minimize that time dramatically. I also need a realistic point of view of day to day life everything on my layout is realistic top to botom and my number one place to find there kits are train swap meets. I spent 500 to 700 hrs one winter building kits no bs and anything to save time in this area will be greatly appreciated by all.
Hard to narrow down but... in no particular order...
Intermountain Code88 wheels, as virtually anything I add them too, improves the rolling quality dramatically. I've been a fan for 15-years.
Sergent couplers, they add so much to the look of my rolling stock.
Classic Metal Works, Busch, and Oxford diecast for vehicle models.
Freight car kits by Intermountain, P2K, and Red Caboose, for the relative ease of assembly, and excellent details. Plus excellent paint jobs.
F&C resin kits, as they make so many unusual models you'll not find outside of brass. Plus building the models creates a so much greater a sense of accomplishment over completing most models.
TCS-Wow decoders.
Fox Valley Models B&O wagontop cars.
Broadway Limited K4 pacifics. I have three of them. I also like their P70s, and express reefers. Looking forward to a Reading T1 and some of their N&W hoppers.
Bowser PRR rolling stock and diesels.
Walthers, PRR models, milk cars, and their upgrades on P2K kits.
Railworks PRR brass models.
Alvie