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completing Daylight set

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  • Member since
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  • From: Pasadena California
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completing Daylight set
Posted by BradenD on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 7:54 PM

Hey everyone. As the title says I am trying to complete my coast daylight consist for Ho scale. As of right now I am only missing the triple unit diner. This also happens to be the rarest. I'm trying to think of the best route to get one for a reasonable price. The brass ones are actually pretty crude with the exception of later Coach Yard runs which can exceed 500 dollars. Erie and Key made decent ones but they are way too expensive for what they are. MTH and BLI pop up sometimes and they have great accuracy but they go for far too much. Weirdly enough the articulated chairs are dirt cheap. What should I do? I can't really justify spending more than 250 dollars. Is anyone aware of BLI rerunning their passenger cars since they just reran their gs4?

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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 8:11 PM

With all due respect, you lost me with your words weirdly Braden

And words crammed together like that, like the beginning of the movie Star Wars, makes it hard to follow, or keep an interest in readingSmile, Wink & Grin

In a galaxy far far away.  We might as well just watch the movie if you got one

 

WinkTF

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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 8:33 PM

$250 to $500 for one passenger car?

Do without it or kitbash one.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 8:38 PM

Okay, I'm all in Rich.  Show me how to do one if you would please

 

TF

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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 8:56 PM

Excuse me a moment, one needs to follow up here.

kip

What else are you going to doWhistling

 

TF

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:02 PM

Track fiddler

Okay, I'm all in Rich.  Show me how to do one if you would please

 

TF

 

Seems to me that back in the dark ages before all this high end RTR stuff there was an article in one of these magazines where someone did a nice looking Daylight three unit diner from Athearn cars.

Likely not completely accruate but pretty "representitive".

$500 and take it out of the box - OR - $40 worth of generic kits, some other raw materials and a month of evenings.

How close is "close enough"?

When I was 19 years old, and was restoring and hot rodding my first project automobile, a 1963 Chevy Nova SS convertible, I over heard the owner of the local speed shop talking to another young hot rodder working on his first car.

A few minutes of questions, and frustration of the young car owner, the owner of the speed shop shared an important lesson my father had already shared with me:

"Speed costs money - how fast would you like to go"

I laughed, because that day I was spending a pretty good chunk of change on a set of Hooker headers, Edelbrock intake manifold and a Holley carburetor.

Model trains are no different.

Sheldon  

    

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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:04 PM

Track fiddler

Okay, I'm all in Rich.  Show me how to do one if you would please

 TF

TF, I was counting on you to lead the way.
 
But, honestly, anything can be scratch built, and you know that.
 
Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by BradenD on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:33 PM

richhotrain

$250 to $500 for one passenger car?

Do without it or kitbash one.

Rich

 

 

 

technically 3 but yeah

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Posted by BradenD on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:38 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

$500 and take it out of the box - OR - $40 worth of generic kits, some other raw materials and a month of evenings.

How close is "close enough"?

A few minutes of questions, and frustration of the young car owner, the owner of the speed shop shared an important lesson my father had already shared with me:

"Speed costs money - how fast would you like to go"

As always Sheldon I appreciate your advice. I'm not a stickler for detail whatsover. In fact I don't have an incredible eye for it. I just notice the obvious stuff. Poor paint scheme, bad proportions, and in this case a bad articulation point or the abscense of it. As far as kitbashing goes I've never done it. I've done almost everything else. Just haven't had a need for it until now. I don't even know where to start on something like this although I wouldn't mind doing it.

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Posted by BradenD on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:39 PM

Track fiddler

Excuse me a moment, one needs to follow up here.

kip

What else are you going to doWhistling

 

TF

 
Thanks for a good laugh TF.
 
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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:41 PM

Good enough  

 

TF

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Posted by BradenD on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:44 PM

Found plans for the diner in a 1948 edition of MRR

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Posted by Track fiddler on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:48 PM

BradenD

 

 
Track fiddler

Excuse me a moment, one needs to follow up here.

kip

What else are you going to doWhistling

 

TF

 

 

 
Thanks for a good laugh TF.
 
 

Not at all, the way I'm breathing lately with this cold that won't go away.  Kinda sound like Darth Vader myselfLaugh

 

TF

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Posted by hon30critter on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 11:49 PM

Hi BradenD,

I'm in the same boat. I need a Rapido Canadian Pacific corrugated diner for 'The Canadian', preferably with the maroon stripe and gold lettering. Rapido doesn't have any plans to make them again. I find that to be very frustrating! Nothing has come up on ebay for months.

I'm certainly willing to repaint another railroad's dining car, but I'm not sure how many railroads used the corrugated side design. I'm also not sure if another company like Kato made the diner too. I'll have to do some digging.

Good luck with your search.

Cheers!!

Dave

Edit: I just found a CP diner in the maroon stripe with gold lettering on eBay. It was made by Walthers, not Rapido, but I can live with that.Big Smile

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by hon30critter on Thursday, February 8, 2024 1:28 PM

Hi again BradenD,

Is this what you are looking for?

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/386732440222?hash=item5a0b0cba9e:g:8JoAAOSwTs1lu7Ug

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by BradenD on Thursday, February 8, 2024 6:34 PM

hon30critter

Hi again BradenD,

Is this what you are looking for?

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/386732440222?hash=item5a0b0cba9e:g:8JoAAOSwTs1lu7Ug

Cheers!!

Dave

Thanks Dave. It is.  We'll see if it lands in the domain of affordability.

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Posted by hon30critter on Friday, February 9, 2024 1:31 AM

BradenD
Thanks Dave. It is.  We'll see if it lands in the domain of affordability.

Good Luck!!

The shipping amount being quoted by eBay seems a bit high to me (not that I know anything about shipping charges in the US). I wonder if it would be cheaper to send it via USPS First Class (if the seller is willing of course)? EBay's shipping charges to Canada can get pretty steep but I have been able to reduce the shipping costs on some occasions by asking the seller to ship via USPS First Class. Having said that, the package is rather long so maybe I'm being a bit naive.

That is assuming that you win the auction.Hmm

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by hon30critter on Monday, February 12, 2024 4:21 AM

Hi Braden,

I see that the SP dining car set was sold for $360.00 USD plus $62.49 shipping. I know that was way over your budget so I suspect that condolences are in order.Crying

Do you have an automatic notification set up on eBay so that you will get an email each time the diner set is listed? If not, it's easy to do. Just go to the advanced search function. The set up is easy. I have an automatic notification set up for a Rapido HO CP dining car for "The Canadian'. Unfortunately it has yet to reveal any results.Grumpy

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, February 12, 2024 6:53 AM

Pity he can't use one of the MTH units.

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Posted by BradenD on Monday, February 12, 2024 6:00 PM

 

hon30critter

Hi Braden,

I see that the SP dining car set was sold for $360.00 USD plus $62.49 shipping. I know that was way over your budget so I suspect that condolences are in order.Crying

Do you have an automatic notification set up on eBay so that you will get an email each time the diner set is listed? If not, it's easy to do. Just go to the advanced search function. The set up is easy. I have an automatic notification set up for a Rapido HO CP dining car for "The Canadian'. Unfortunately it has yet to reveal any results.Grumpy

Cheers!!

Dave

 

Hey Dave! I appreciate the kindness. I did not know that feature of ebay. I will set one up right now.

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Posted by BradenD on Monday, February 12, 2024 6:01 PM

Overmod

Pity he can't use one of the MTH units.

 

I can but they are even rarer than the BLI units

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, February 12, 2024 11:23 PM

BradenD
Overmod

Pity he can't use one of the MTH units 

I can but they are even rarer than the BLI units

Might have to lease you mine.

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Posted by BradenD on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 2:42 PM

Overmod

 

BradenD
Overmod

Pity he can't use one of the MTH units 

I can but they are even rarer than the BLI units

 

Might have to lease you mine.

 

 

 

Ah you have one ? Surprise

 

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Posted by wjstix on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 3:10 PM

I guess it depends on your feelings. If you can only accept the correct 3-unit car set, it appears you may have to pay a lot for it. Otherwise, you can just pick up regular SP dining cars for a lot less and make do. 

Stix
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Posted by BradenD on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 6:36 PM

wjstix

I guess it depends on your feelings. If you can only accept the correct 3-unit car set, it appears you may have to pay a lot for it. Otherwise, you can just pick up regular SP dining cars for a lot less and make do.

I think I'm going to kitbash. A magazine came in from MRC detailing the process. Seems doable. I just really like the concept and uniqueness of a articulated diner car

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 7:03 PM

BradenD

I think I'm going to kitbash. A magazine came in from MRC detailing the process. Seems doable. I just really like the concept and uniqueness of a articulated diner car

 

Cool. Keep us posted and send photos.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by Overmod on Sunday, February 18, 2024 8:13 PM

Since the PM system is lunched until they get around to replacing it, e-mail me at overmod7002@gmail.com

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Posted by ATSFGuy on Sunday, February 25, 2024 7:12 PM

Can't wait to see it when it's done! Smile

Since this is your first kitbash, just go slow, read the directions, carefully and remain calm. Yeah it's pretty complicated the first time around and certain projects do require time and patience, but after you do a few it's not that bad....

Good Luck!!!

 

 

 

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