I am working on building an older Walters 48' double stack. It is my second kit. It also had etched metal walkways that I have installed. I personally think it looks excellent, I am very happy with the results so far. I really enjoy kit building, and plan to continue buying kits.
I've enjoyed building dozens of kits by A-Line in HO. They made container cars, containers and trailers as well as truck details and other accessories. Most notably the Gunderson and Thrall 5 unit sets, of which I've made around 15. They run well and are weighted so they can run empty or loaded. With Plano and other details they make awesome finished models.
I wish they would make more, especially the Gunderson's. The "patch job" possibilities are endless.....
Mine doesn't move.......it's at the station!!!
On the accurail site they added a section about using the brake detail from their 41' steel gondola kit as brake rigging under steel box cars. Ive adapted this for wood sided cars as well. Photos to follow shortly.
rrebellRems is out of business as of 2010!!!!!!!!!!!
I should have read the Home page and just not looked at the pretty pictures.
Thanks and Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Here's a sampling of my HOn3 roster:
Boxcar #362 was modified from a Rail Line styrene kit to be closer to a turn-of-the-century appearance. #371 started as a RTR Blackstone and was backdated in a similar manner.
SPV flat/gondola #214 is a modified Micro Engineering epoxy pipe car kit, with its sides lowered and ends added. The weathering on this car is a bit overboard in my opinion - toning it down is on the to-do list.
This flat car was built from a Grandt Line styrene kit, with no modifications other than to add Sergents couplers.
UA&P #1061 was built from a Rio Grande Models laser-cut kit for an early D&RG boxcar.
This refrigerator car came from an old Master Creations laser-cut kit. These are pretty hard to find these days, which is unfortunate because they're great kits.
This refrigerator is a modified Precision Scale kit - again, backdated to be more fitting for my 1907 era.
While I was researching images for the truss rod flat car project that I referred to in Mikes thread here....... http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/230912.aspx I came across this site which I know nothing about but don't believe its been mentioned.... http://www.remsmodels.com/HOKits.html Cheers, the Bear.
While I was researching images for the truss rod flat car project that I referred to in Mikes thread here.......
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/230912.aspx
I came across this site which I know nothing about but don't believe its been mentioned....
http://www.remsmodels.com/HOKits.html
Cheers, the Bear.
A majority of my rolling stock are from these 4 manufactorers; Labelle, Tichy, Westerfield and Ye Olde Huff & Puff.
Labelle Basically you get a box of bassword pieces, some precut, and some soft metal castings. The instructions are mainly detailed assembly drawings with clear and easy to follow instructions. This is old school model kit. I enjoy putting these kits together very much and pleased with the final outcome. Although my era is the 1920s I have plenty of these wooden passenger cars because they are beautiful.
Tichy Very inexpensive and easy to assemble. The detail is exceptional. There are alot a parts to a Tichy kit. The instructions are step by step and easy to follow.
Westerfield Difficult to assemble and instructions are hard to follow but the outcome is well worth the effort. Al Westerfield has done extensive research for each kit offer. The instructions offer information on what parts and decals are need for a particular time periored. Assembly is alot of work. Since these kits are resin, this requires removing flash from all the parts. There is also alot of parts to put together. With patience and perseverance you will have a highly accurate model specific to the railroad that it represents.
Ye Olde Huff & Puff Also old school model kit. Most of my cabooses are from this company. The instructions are easy to following and the kit is easy to assemble. The sides are pre-painted and pre-lettered. I also enjoy assembling this kit and pleased with the final outcome.
Kyle I built my first kit a few weeks ago. It was an Accurail ACF covered hopper decorated for the Soo line. I had a lot of fun putting it together. I will buy more in the future. Another big advantage is they are cheap which allows you to get more for less money.
I built my first kit a few weeks ago. It was an Accurail ACF covered hopper decorated for the Soo line. I had a lot of fun putting it together. I will buy more in the future. Another big advantage is they are cheap which allows you to get more for less money.
More for less money is high on my priority list! However, I find assembling kits far more interesting and fun than simply buying RTR and dropping it on my railroad to use. I have no pride in buying and using RTR freight or passinger cars. At present, I am assembling a Tichy Train Group outside braced box car that Tichy provided extra detail parts to allow making into a cement hopper. This is a very interesting and completely different car for my railroad.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
zstripeThey also have limited run three packs for less than it costs for one RTR. Also different road numbers for the same car, with a how to order, up to 12 #'s in the kits.
As a fun update since this was posted around 2 years ago I have bought and built close to 18 Roundhouse car kits and bought exactly three Athearn RTR cars.
I recently bought two covered hopper three packs($39.99 street) and they're on my fall/winter project list since my summer project is painting some Roundhouse mill gons for my Summerst Ry and making 4 pipe loads from Evergreen plastic tubing..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
They also have limited run three packs for less than it costs for one RTR. Also different road numbers for the same car, with a how to order, up to 12 #'s in the kits.
Take Care!
Frank
That's what I meant about the limited selection, perhaps I should have phrased that better. Yeah, I went to order some H21 hopper kits and lo and behold, they were all sold out! You couldn't believe how ticked I was, since I need a ton more Pennsy hoppers to serve my coal mine,
(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).
Jimmy_BraumI think Bowser got out of the kit business.
Jimmy:
Check the Bowser web site. They still are producing some kits although the selection is a little limited. Many of their kits are now available as RTR in their "Executive Line".
Joe
I think Bowser got out of the kit business.
cthartIs this list still being updated?
Colin 't Hart Frösön, Sweden http://www.flickr.com/photos/cthart/
TA462 One name that isn't on your list is Athearn Genesis kits. I've built a number of these and really enjoy building them. It takes some time and you have to paint and decal them too. I would compare them to Intermountain and Proto 2000 kits in the difficulty to build department.
One name that isn't on your list is Athearn Genesis kits. I've built a number of these and really enjoy building them. It takes some time and you have to paint and decal them too. I would compare them to Intermountain and Proto 2000 kits in the difficulty to build department.
I would love to add Athearn to the list! However, how do I go about finding what is available from them. I do not see any links to information on Kits, at the Athearn site.
Resin caster, JJL Models has been added to the list, thank you for this reference.
http://www.jjlmodels.com/ does Erie based resin models. Here are a couple I have done over the years.
Some trailers from Bethlehem car Shops
Thank you to all who helped formulate this list! Much appreciated!!
Mark
Heartland Division CB&Q,
Very nice list of former manufacturers of Freight and Passenger car kits! Most, if not all of these manufacturer's products can be found on Ebay, at train shows; or, other auction type websites.
However, the intentions of this thread, were to list manufacturers who are still in business, so modelers can refer to a list to find kits!
For me, the list we created, is important information that I would like to see have made into a "Sticky" here on the Model Railroader Forum. Obviously, this is a moderator decision and out of our hands. If this doesn't happen, then I've made this list a document in my word processor, that I can go back to, to refer to when I need it.
NP2626 .... This continues to be an interesting thread. It looks like you have edited the first post to include some of the ones mentioned by other contributors. There may be some that did not get edited into that post. Perhaps, I just don't see them there, but check for kits by MDC/Roundhouse, Proto 2000, and Walthers.
Central Valley was mentioned regarding their stock car kit. The old Central Valley kits were wood freight car kits, and they made nice models. Central Valley also produced a line of premium quality trucks which were the favorite for many years.
I can recall some of the old kit makers of HO kits of roughly 50 years ago. .......
Varney made some nicely painted metal freight car kits. They were one of the early makers of plastic kits.
Athearn also made nicely painted metal freight car kits, and they also were an early maker of plastic kits. The plastic kits evolved into the popular blue box kits.
American Beauty lines made a line of nicely painted smooth side passenger car kits.
Herkimer / OK Models made a line of extruded aluminum passenger car kits. Another owner of this company has made them in more recent years.
Ulrich models made freight car kits using die cast metal and wood. They also made highway trucks.
Mantua made extruded aluminum passenger cars based on Budd prototype. They also offered freight car kits.
Silver Streak made freight car kits with wood and die cast metal.
Tenshodo produced some imported brass freight car kits in addition to their popular brass locomotives and passenger cars.
JC Models made a line of heavyweight passenger car kits with metal and wood.
Walthers made a line of heavyweight passenger car kits with metal and wood.
Ambroid Models made a line of wood passenger kits and freight car kits.
Quality Craft Models made a line of wood freight car kits.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Saw and ad for "Old and Weary Car Shop" in my 2006 GMR and was hopeful they were still in business! However, although there is a Hobby Shop by this name in Tappan N.Y. and I'm guessing they produced the kits advertized in the 2006 GMR, I could find nothing to support that they still do so. To bad!
Added a couple more kit manufacturters who are available through Crusader Rail Services: Deerfield River Laser and Mount Blue Model Company. They offer kits in O, On3, On30, Sn3 and may offer some HO and N stuff.
Every time I have asked for more people to respond with more manufacturers I have been successful, hows about it one more time?
Thank you DTI406, I have added QConnection and Abacus Model Works to the list. Any more?
Here is another one, they only make one car a Whale Belly Cement Hopper, but they also sell some AMB kits for the CB&Q. The Whale Belly car is a pretty hard build and I have never seen one put together except for the pilot model.
http://www.qconnection.biz/
Another one is Abacus Models, they were originally going to make the Canstock Car but scrapped that car when Spring Mills brought out their car. They have a couple of models done and have an ambitious schedule of kits many of which I am interested in.
http://www.abacusmodelworks.com/products.htm
Rick J
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!
Certainly there must be one or two more kit manufacturers out there, that the list does not include!
Wright Trak has been added, loved their position on modeling: Our models are not "ready to run" because we feel each model should be built and painted by the modeler according to their specifications. We also feel that a hobby should be "hands on" for enjoyment and to be able to say "I built that". A hobby is an activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, often in one's spare time. Personal fulfillment is the aim!