ModelRailroader.com Reader Poll – February 12, 2003

[Anonymous]

I built 1 last month a reefer and put a sound system in it,so now it keeps things cold.

[Anonymous]

I prefer the Athearn kits because you have to build them, thus weighting a car is done to your own satisfaction. With the pre-built cars so popular now, you have to be concerned with them not being heavy enough (by NMRA standards), and figuring out how to add the additional weight without destroying the car-you don't have that problem when you build it yourself. And of course, the kits are less expensive than r-t-r's.

[IRONROOSTER]

Haven't been in HO in over 20 years, but I built some when I was. Still have some kits and just bought a few more in case Athearn quits making them and I decide to return to HO.
Enjoy
Paul

[easyaces]

I like the Athern "blue box kits" since most of my locos and rolling stock is comprised of them, over 250 so far. And for the value they are good kits, easy to put together, well marked(painted). I'll continue to buy them as long as they stay available at my local hobby shop.

[Anonymous]

I moved about 2 1/2 years ago and started room prep during the sumer of 2001, with layout construction stating 10/13/01. this time I installed a lighting system first and finished the room. The layout is almost operational with only a few more connections to the A-B bus of the DCC system. My club is "round robin" style and we will be operating sometime this summer on my layout. In the near future, I should be building out of the whole bunch of "little blue boxes" I've accumulated. So the two year answer is not so bad. GLEN

[Anonymous]

This not a true reflection as to my building trend. At this point I'm building scenes not rolling stock. When building rolling stock it will be several cars at a time.

[eastcoast]

I like the Athearn products. I don't want to see them go away.
I buy mostly undecorated kits so I can custom paint them.
When it gets warmer here, I will be back downstairs on my
workbench doing projects. I love the "Blue Box" !!!!!

[JoeUmp]

Ok, so my last kit was last year, I still have a number to put together yet.

Joe

[Anonymous]

I have used athearn kits for over thirty years. The new superdetailed kits available are great but do not fit into my budget. I will continue to use athearn until they stop making them.

[Anonymous]

I've been building undec 2-bay hoppers I got from SHS a few years ago. I have a good size stack of unbuilt Athearns and will be looking for more at swap-meets as my hobby shop won't deal with the new owners because they won't discount to dealers. My favorite kits are Accurail then Athearn.

[rambo1]

The blue box cars are what I started with. They are great with children and run great. But then I learned about Intermountain, Redcaboose and Proto 2000 and I prefer them . Athearn are good for clubs they don't destroy easily. rambo1.......

[Anonymous]

I haven't built an Athearn kit since last year,since our LHS doesn't carry a whole lot of rolling stock. But in the last 4 months I've bought two Athearn SD-45s(both powered), which are very nice DC locos(big pulling power,since I added 2oz each,bringing them up to 19oz.).I hope that Athearn/Horizon will make pc boards for DCC or, at least for directional headlighting for thier popular DC locos!!

[Anonymous]

Good Day Everyone,

I do agree with everyone, that I would hate to see Athern discontinue rail kits that one gets to assemble. The Genisis line are nice but way too pricey for me especially when you have to buy in Canadian dollars. Besides, I get great satisfaction assembling kits rather that open the box and away you go sort of thing. Also, one is able to kitbash with an undecorated kit rather than messing around with a $30.00 kit.

CNtrainman [#welcome]

[tankertoad70]

Well over 50% of my rolling stock is good ol' Uncle Irv.[:D] However, lately, instead of assembling the puppies as is, I have been kitbashing 'em into something a lil' bit different, like taking the 50' double door boxcar and converting it to a 50' combo door car.[}:)]

[Anonymous]

I have been modelling railroads since the early 1950's. I remember the days of some of the more difficult kits, like Ambroid and Silver Streak. I have enjoyed building the Athearn Blue Box kits for over 30 years...first with my son, and now with my grandson. Sure...there are kits and RTRs with greater detail, but the Blue Boxes are great for starters and those of us who enjoy railroading on a budget. I hope they are still around for my great-grandchildren.

[Anonymous]

I buy Athearn's "blue box" kits all the time and love them. Like others have said, they are an excellent way to build one's fleet. I would hate to see them terminated, as I am still mourning the loss of the Chessie System 18 years later. ;-)

[curtisporky]

I have around 400+ cars, and 97 percent are Athearn. I wouuld say about 95 percent of them are repainted cars, and I don't see why I would want to buy R-T-R just to disassemble them and re-paint them. I won't buy any more Walther's and MDC cars because you can't buy kits anymore at my LHS. I have a few factory Athearn paint jobs, but prefer to do custom-paint on my stuff.
Pat Curtis

[Hawks05]

how about 7 hours ago. before i went to work i put together a 57' Bangor & Aroostock mech reefer. i boguht 4 Athearn kits today and 2 roundhouse.

Athearn blue box kits are the greatest thing i think i've found so far in the hobby. they are so easy for beginners to put together and they look great even if you just leave them as is when completed. i hope they stick around so i can keep buying and buying and buying.

i'll vote for last week as to when i last put one together.

[Anonymous]

I picked last month but I just finished a PRR box yesterday.
I am very sad to see the Athern Blue box fade away.
I don't like the RTR's so I guess I will switch to Accurail or Roundhouse.
Sad it is solone good friend I will miss you
Dave

[Anonymous]

all most a good runner if you add more weight, and weather them. just put about ten for my cal. zypher. look real good. hope Athern did not make a mistake.

[MrDxer]

Started out in this very fine hobby with the Athearn 'Blue Box' some 30 years ago, both for cars & locomotives. For a long while, IT was the main source of all my rolling stock. Lately went on a shopping spree and acquired a fleet of 54' covered hoppers (all RR's available) and some undec cupola cabooses to be painted in the CN wet noodle scheme. It would indeed be very sad for all modelers to see the 'Blue Boxes' exit the market. For the price, quality & availability, they're pretty hard to beat!!!

[cp1057]

Another good application of the good ol' Blue Box kits are the custom paint jobs offered by smaller operations and the souvenir kits offered by tourist railroads. On Father's Day last year my family toured the South Simcoe Rwy, a steam powered train in Tottenham Ontario and my Father's Day gift was a good old blue box lettered for the South Simcoe.

Charles
Hillsburgh Ontario

[Anonymous]

My LHS did have an isle about 30 ft. long of nothing but blue boxes.In about 2 years the Blue Boxes have been shoved in the corner, being replaced by Genesis RTR.

[Anonymous]

I voted "last month" - has been a while since I last built one - think my most recent was a dummy GP50 in SF livery. I have to say the "Blue box" kits are some of the best I've found, in any scale. Admittedly they don't have the detail of the latest Kadee cars, but on the other hand they are about 1/3rd of the price. They are also far tougher, which is handy if you travel to exhibitions. The only minor problem is that sometimes the finished car will not go back in the box for storage. Fitting Kadees can be a little interesting sometimes, but I've not yet found an Athearn model requiring major surgery to fit Kadees. I hope the blue box kits stay in production for many years to come - surely they're a superb way to encourage new people into the hobby?

[Anonymous]

I've never been in HO before. I think they're to small to put on the track.[tup][tdn]

[fiatfan]

I put one together last week and have about 25-30 more to assemble. They are great for building your inventory, as was mentioned earlier. After raising four kids and putting my wife through college, it looks like I will finally be able to afford some of the better kits. But for overall durability, you can't beat Athearn.

If it's true that the dummy engines are going away, that's a shame. I would like to double head some trains but since I have a small layout, I don't need two powered units at the head end. A powered and a dummy unit makes the train look bigger than it actually is for very little extra. Stick about 10-12 cars and a caboose (it's just not a train without one!) behind them and it looks pretty impressive on my small layout. The trick is to run it a little slow from one tunnel to the next. The distance is such that the engine disappears before the caboose appears. Makes the train seem much longer.

[PistolPete]

4 yesterday at a train show. Of the 12 kits I can see from here 9 are blue box.

[wccobb]

Started in 1946 with Varney carboards sides. Now have some 1,300+ cars and 100+ locomotives, about 65% Athearn Blue Box. No high-priced "brass", Kato, R-T-R, DCC but somehow I can roll 100 car freight trains. Don't always build one-a-week, but build 'em when I feel like, maybe 60 per year (the number is higher since retiring). No Athearn Blue Box? Then I close the collection & treasure what I got.

[Anonymous]

As a teenager on a limited budget and with limited time for the hobby, I have alway found the Athearn blue-box and similar models to be excelent. Sure I have a few of the nicer new RTR models, but that is only because no one makes them in a cheaper form. I love kitbashing the cheaper kits but don't want to touch any of the expensive new RTR models. I think all these expensive RTR models are killing the hobby by forcing new modelers to shell out a fortune or build everything from craftsman kits. The blue-boxes fill the perfect niche, they are cheap and easy to build for begginers, great starting points for kitbashing, and they look good and run well.

These kits are easy but fun for everyone and give begginers the perfect opportunity to practice and learn while maintaining an interest in the hobby. I only wi***here were more of the new engines and cars in blue-boxes (how about an AC6000 or an affordable SD70?)

[dwick]

The good ol' Blue Box kits are a great way to springboard yourself into THE HOBBY. Without these kits, at reasonable prices, a newbie would have a difficult time amassing a fleet of cars in a short time. Let's face the facts. Since most of the manufacturing of kits, RTR or self assembled, is now being done overseas. America is no longer the industrial giant that it was back in the 20th century. Economics are totally different and hard on families that are used to the way "it used to be". RTR products are fine for those who can afford them and those with limited time. Let's face it! Time is money. If you don't have the time, then buy RTR products. But those of you who enjoy kits, the only way to go is the BLUE BOX. They are easy to assemble and a joy to kit-bash if you like. Kit bashing BLUE BOX kits will not give sticker shock to your wallet. And BLUE BOX kits will help fill your rail yard in a short time. Long live the Blue Box!!!
Don Wick - The Yard Master
West Bend, WI
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