I miss the athearn blue box kits i loved them most of my trains before i sold them where athearn blue box starting over again and finding some out there just wished they would come back
Probably won't see them again while they can spend 3 min. assembling them, add metal wheels & sell them for 3 times as much. Also Ready to Run is more popular than kits today. Gives you more time to play computer games!
Unfortunatly that is true i just loved putting them together passed the time and got lost in doing it
Blue box is OK, but Accurail kits have much better deail and aren't that much harder to assemble. I believe Accurail is still cranking out new kits. I'd be super happy if they'd add a little more variety to their lineup, to include PS covered hoppers, modern tank cars, centerbeam flats, etc.
Kit nostalgia aside, I can appreciate the value of a decently-detailed and reasonably-priced RTR model. I've got a backlog of a couple dozen kits that will probably take years to get to. My free time is at an extreme premium right now, and what little bit of hobby time I have is focused elsewhere. RTR is nice because I can run trains immediately and spend my limited modeling time on layout construction or loco detailing. If I had to scratchbuild or kit-assemble everything in this hobby, at this stage in my life I'd probably just give up and stick to railfanning.
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
I used to pick up several blue box kits every time I went to the LHS. About the only place I see them now is Ebay.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
jerryl Probably won't see them again while they can spend 3 min. assembling them, add metal wheels & sell them for 3 times as much. Also Ready to Run is more popular than kits today. Gives you more time to play computer games!
For me, ready to run gives me more time for operations. I spend my extra time on scratch building structures and scenery, etc. And the MRR forums of course!
Ken G Price My N-Scale Layout
Digitrax Super Empire Builder Radio System. South Valley Texas Railroad. SVTRR
N-Scale out west. 1996-1998 or so! UP, SP, Missouri Pacific, C&NW.
I'm with Dan. Even though their product line is more limited, I like Accurail much better.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I am trying to build a fleet of cars for operating my layout. I subscribe to the "Good Enough" philosophy which includes at least KD couplers, weight to NMRA standards and metal wheels.I have been buying Athearn BB kits and Roundhouse kits on Ebay, but because they are out of production the price is climbing.
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.
As others have written, try Accurail kits. I think they are a good replacement for the blue box kits, even a little higher quality, IMO. I'd put them in the same level of detail group as Atlas trainman and Walthers mainline.
Most of their kits are models of older era cars. I wish they would offer one or more cars of newer era.
- Douglas
keithh9824 I miss the athearn blue box kits i loved them most of my trains before i sold them where athearn blue box starting over again and finding some out there just wished they would come back
No need to miss them. Visit a large train show in your area and you can find lots of them at the vendor tables and pick up a box full to keep you busy. I see lots at the shows every time I visit.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Until they all get built, there will be unbuilt ones traded on eBay and at train meets. Grab'em while you can. I'm sure some joker is putting some aside unbuilt so they can be 'collector's items" in a few years - you'll see it on ebay sure as the sun rises - "Vintage Unbuilt Blue Box Kit" starting bid $100.
In the meantime, there is Accurail, so far still committed to making kits, pretty much just as easy as BB, sometimes just slightly more difficult. And perhaps more importantly in these days of overseas manufacture - Accurail kits are made in the USA.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I miss them, too, but there are alternatives. I just found one a week ago at a train show. I buy Accurails and Roundhouse kits. Since I model the Milwaukee Road, I bought a number of the rib-side cars from the little ad in MR.
As I've become a better modeler, I've learned to appreciate better models, so not having Blue Boxes doesn't bother me as much.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Accurail makes or made great outside braced box cars. I just add metal grabs on the side & top, metal wheels & Kadee couplers. Can't beat it for the price.
When I first started in the hobby about 10 years ago I really liked the BB kits. They were a cheap and easy way to populate my roster, and I made a point of bringing them up to NMRA standards as others in the thread have done. I had a ball with them!
They are still available at the train shows but the problem now is that the road names and car types are rarely suitable for my purposes. Also, with some experience under my belt I realize that the quality of things like the printing leaves a lot to be desired. The lettering is often very dim.
As others have said, Accurail has good stuff.
The other kit mfr that I would like to see back is LifeLike P2K. Their kits were a lot fussier than the BB ones but with practise they produced decent models, at least in my opinion. Not craftsman but not crap either. Yes the grab irons were a pita - thank goodness they provided extras.
I have purchased lots of RTR where the road name and car type suited my needs and I am quite happy with them, but had I had the choice or kits vs RTR I would have chosen the kits just for the pleasure of building something. That's a very personal choice - I like working with my hands.
Anyhow purchasing more rolling stock is a moot point for me now. I am saving my money so I can actually start to build my layout.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
rrinker Until they all get built, there will be unbuilt ones traded on eBay and at train meets. Grab'em while you can. I'm sure some joker is putting some aside unbuilt so they can be 'collector's items" in a few years - you'll see it on ebay sure as the sun rises - "Vintage Unbuilt Blue Box Kit" starting bid $100.
With the large quantities of kits at train shows year after year, it doesn't seem the bb kits and other varieties are getting all built that fast. The way I see it, many of us collected lots of kits, and simply ended up with more than we had time to build. But some years ago, that was the only way you could have a decent quality fleet of rolling stock because back then, the RTR stuff was mostly toy like. Now that we've had a large supply of good quality RTR stuff on the market for years, many of us are looking at our collections with realistic eyes and saying "you know, I"m never going to build most of these" and we are selling them.
There seems to be this romantic notion about kits. Well, thats fine but there are alot of folks who don't have the time to build hundreds of freight cars, and the train shows I've gone to in Syracuse NY, Springfield MA, Indianapolis IN, Rochester NY, and recently Timonium MD - the tables are packed with kits and for cheap prices including lots of Athearn blue box. Why? Again because there are many people who realized they didn't have time to build them all and put them up for sale. That, and many buyers don't want to get many more kits because they already have more than they will build ,so they aren't flying off the tables. We are happy to rebuild our fleet with more prototypically based RTR stuff and part with kits we know we will never build, not after 10 or 15 or 20 plus years of sitting on them still unbuilt.
So based on my observations, my guess is we will continue to see Athearn bb kits, as well as other brands in liberal supply at major train shows for years to come. I don't expect we will see them selling for $100 on Ebay for quite a long time yet. Yes, I realize at your local hobby shop Athearn is no longer shipping blue box kits. Get in your car and go to the next big train show in a city near you and you ought to be able to find enough kits to keep you busy.
In the meantime, there is Accurail, so far still committed to making kits, pretty much just as easy as BB, sometimes just slightly more difficult. And perhaps more importantly in these days of overseas manufacture - Accurail kits are made in the USA. --Randy
Yes, as far as LHS being able to stock the shelves, Accurail is helping keep that end up so you can visit your LHS and/or order them in.
I find the ready to run range is more work than the blue box kits because you have to disassemble them before you can weather them, add weight, change the wheel sets and couplers etc. Then reassemble them just like a blue box kit.
Regards Jon.
Gidday, . While I miss the BB kits times have changed, I would just add my vote for Accurail kits.
Just a few irrelevant observations from New Zealand.
rrinker and riogrande5761. Its already starting to happen here, A dealer snapped the remaining stocks of "new" BB kits and, because of their "rarity" is selling them currently at 1 1/2 times more than when they were on the LHS shelves. The same happened with MDC "Roundhouse" kits , ( they got to 3 x) !!!. On our equivalent of "Ebay" I also note that there seem to be a lot of dreamers with what I consider over the top prices.. I certainly am not buying.
While I have bought some RTR, and appreciate why others prefer to do so, my " LHS' owner doesn't like to stock kits because they just don't sell that well. I find that a bit sad. (He will order stuff in for me as required). For me kits offer far more bang for my buck.
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
riogrande5761 keithh9824 I miss the athearn blue box kits i loved them most of my trains before i sold them where athearn blue box starting over again and finding some out there just wished they would come back No need to miss them. Visit a large train show in your area and you can find lots of them at the vendor tables and pick up a box full to keep you busy. I see lots at the shows every time I visit.
I also see lots of them at shows usually in the $5-$10 range. Some of the smaller shows have them for $5 and under. I have also found old Roundhouse locomotive kits for $35.
As others have noted, the market for kits seems limited and bargains are available. For modeling on the cheap and for those with some time they are a good way to get started or grow the fleet.
Good luck
Paul
Generic BB cars had their day and that day has pass.There are lots of kits out there if one attends train shows,Accurail,BB,Bev-Bel/Athearn,Roundhouse,Bowser among others.I've seen built BB cars with metal wheels and KD couplers sell for $5.00 while built BB with the X2F coupler was selling for $3.00 or 2/$5.00
Here's the rub..I seen BB kits 3/$10.00 and people walk right on by.I've seen Accurail kits ignored while RTR was flying off the dealers table..
I just can't get teary eyed over the demise of the BB kit..I built more then my fair share over the years and usually found problems like warp floors,frames and weights.The coupler was usually to low or in some rare cases to high.
What I love about the RTR car is the ease of switching out KD wanna bes for either KD or Walthers ProtoMax coupler and 99.9% of the time the coupler height is spot on..I use either a roof brown or rail brown paint marker to paint the wheel face..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Hi,
I too have a soft spot for the Athearn BB and those companies that used them as base kits (i.e. Bev-Bel). I began my collection about 1960, and with KDs and metal wheelsets, and a coat of Dull-Cote, they are terrific layout cars.
While they are no longer made, there are plenty available on Ebay - built or unbuilt.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Greenway Products has an extensive line of ice bunker beer reefers based on the Athearn BB model. I hope they will still have a channel to get the base models for these.
I've used other BB reefer kits as the base for a couple of my own custom reefers to serve industries on my layout.
I too have built my share of BB kits and still have a few to do. Well, I will actually sell the unbuilt ones as I now don't think they have the detail level and quality that I want. The stirrups and ladders are too thick and the printing isn't razor sharp like the newer laser printed ones are. I have removed some stirrups and replaced them with formed brass ones, but the rest ot the model just doesn't have it in my opinion. I like the Accurail kits and just built my first P2K kit; much better quality even if they take a bit more time. I also have a lot of old Train Miniature kits that are probably a little better than the BB but not like the newer ones. I am in my 70's now and don't have the time for all the assembly so I am gradually getting more of the RTR ones that have great detail and metal wheels, just need Kadee's and some weathering.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
I'm back to the hobby this year and like building the simple kits. I bought pretty much one of each type 40' freight Accurail kits and a number of Bowser as well, plus a sample of others (Intermountain, etc) to try. And I pick up some BB kits at shows. I add metal wheelsets and Kadee couplers.
Are the Roundhouse kits people mention relatively new, or just the older kits floating around?
How do Accurail, Bowser, Roundhouse, etc stack up in terms of detail, paint job, etc? I like the few Accurail and Bowsers I've built so far but haven't compared closely to say one is "better" than another.
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
MisterBeasley I miss them, too, but there are alternatives. I just found one a week ago at a train show. I buy Accurails and Roundhouse kits. Since I model the Milwaukee Road, I bought a number of the rib-side cars from the little ad in MR. As I've become a better modeler, I've learned to appreciate better models, so not having Blue Boxes doesn't bother me as much.
Roundhouse is no longer making kits as I understand, is that correct? As Athearn and Roundhouse are both owned by Horizon.
peahrens Are the Roundhouse kits people mention relatively new, or just the older kits floating around?
Just the older kits.
Roundhouse was purchase by Athearn and the line of Roundhouse cars has been upgraded to RTR with separately applied grab irons, thinner stirrups and metal wheels.
peahrensHow do Accurail, Bowser, Roundhouse, etc stack up in terms of detail, paint job, etc? I like the few Accurail and Bowsers I've built so far but haven't compared closely to say one is "better" than another.
Accurail and Bowser kits have better detail than the old BB kits, also don't forget Branchline kits and RTR which was bought bay Atlas, and sold under their name.
My big problem with RTR is you are stuck with what the manufacturer decides to produce, which is fine if you model the more popular railroads. If you model a road name that is not on the "top line" list, you have to buy a RTR, figure how to take it apart without busting it, then strip, paint and decal it for what you want. That was the big advantage of the undecorated BB kits - problem was they never sold well and disappeared from the market before the kits went away.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
G PaineIf you model a road name that is not on the "top line" list, you have to buy a RTR, figure how to take it apart without busting it, then strip, paint and decal it for what you want.
That is one thing I would not want to do with a high price car since the Chinese hasn't figured out how much glue is needed to hold a tiny part on and that includes to little to get the job done-I've seen both.
However,all is not lost since some manufacturers inculde undecorated kits in their runs.
My method has been to take the easy way out..
I use Accurail data only kits..
When I was in HO from about 1959 until 14 years ago, I only bought Athern BB kits. I still have everyone I every bought and built, stored away. Unfortunately for my wallet, HOn3 is such that a microscale kit for a simple 30' gondola car is $36.00. They are very well done but come with about 50 tiny parts for you to add if you "want it all". Blackstone cars are the very best RTR but a long caboose lists for $80.00 and a single passenger car can be about $100.00. Ouch!
Blessedly, my short line is not one to be loaded with rolling stock. La Belle is still a nice cheap way to go in wood, but Rail Line HOn3 cars, when in stock, and bought from M.B. Klein are $12.79 for a 30 foot, snow white plastic boxcar....no wheels....no couplers and no decals, but a baggie full of tiny parts just line Micro Scale. The detail is excellent, though. Rail Line doesn't have many offerings and what they have in their literature is not always what's on hand.
Looks like a lot of scratch builds are going to be in the works, but that's always been part of HOn3. What few passengers there are on my road are riding in a to be scratchbuilt long combine caboose at the end of an ore train or on a galloping goose.
Remembering when BB kits were just fine and came virtually ready to run. (Nothing to buy but glue, no painting and no decaling.)
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
riogrande5761 With the large quantities of kits at train shows year after year, it doesn't seem the bb kits and other varieties are getting all built that fast. The way I see it, many of us collected lots of kits, and simply ended up with more than we had time to build.
With the large quantities of kits at train shows year after year, it doesn't seem the bb kits and other varieties are getting all built that fast. The way I see it, many of us collected lots of kits, and simply ended up with more than we had time to build.
I agree. I think there's a pretty good supply of BB out there.
I have my doubts about the potential for appreciation for BB in the short term, say the next 50 years. It'll take that long for all of us to die and bequeath all the BB and other stuff to our heirs, most of whom will head straight to ebay if they're smart.
Just saying there are multiple lifetimes of supplies of BB floating around at any one time. Now good stuff like kits from Red Caboose, P2K, the Branchline Blueprint series, Westerfield, etc, that's what I think is where there is some potential.
I'm sure there are dealers who will try to corner the market, advertising-wise with declarations of "vintage" BB stock, but with very little effort anyone can locate their own life-time supply of BB to hold and appreciate for what it is, for it'll likely not appreciate, fiscally.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL