NP2626 I would have loved to include Speedwitch Media to the list; but, it appears to me that although the website is up and you can get to it, beyond that, I wonder if the company has ceased doing business.
I would have loved to include Speedwitch Media to the list; but, it appears to me that although the website is up and you can get to it, beyond that, I wonder if the company has ceased doing business.
Speedwitch is/was a one person shop and last I saw he was just selling on e-bay on stuff that he had on hand. From what I have heard he is not producing anything else. I have 7 of his kits and I like them very much.
Steve
That is too bad! It looks like Speedwitch produced some really nice kits. Selling off the inventory on Ebay seems like a quiting business move, to me.
Wouldn't this thread be a great candidate for a "Sticky"?
However, maybe the thousands who want their rolling stock RTR, preclude our small little group of model builders who want to build them!
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
NP2626 However, maybe the thousands who want their rolling stock RTR, preclude our small little group of model builders who want to build them!
Actually I think we RTR guys still build kits but,prefer the more prototypical RTR cars.I currently working on a data only Accurail 50' plug door boxcar and just about ready to add the decals.I consider myself a tad disappointed because there is a gap at the top and bottom of the door..Yes,I was well aware of this issue when I bought the kit but,I still like using these data only cars.I like the added screws for the couplers and trucks.
With todays highly detailed locomotives maybe thousands of us decided the RTR cars with superior details would compliment today's detailed locomotives.
A price oddity.
Also at the discount price I paid for that data only boxcar I could have gotten a Atlas Trainman boxcar with metal wheels $2.00 cheaper-$11.99 for the kit with plastic wheels and door gap vs.$9.99 for the Trainman with metal wheels..I'm still scratching my head trying to understand that.
However,in this case its not about the price or RTR vs. kit.
It was all about the need.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Brakie,
Many of the kit manufacturers mentioned in the list at the beginning of this thread, produce kits that are every bit as detailed as your $40.00 Ready To Run cars. Some of them even charge the same price for their Ready To Run painted/decorated equipment as they do for their unpainted/undecorated kits. Figure that one out!
Didn't I just say above: "Maybe the thousands who want their rolling stock RTR, preclude our small little group of model builders who want to build them!" Doesn't this mean that you RTR guys are winning, if this were a contest?
NP2626Some of them even charge the same price for their Ready To Run paineted/decorated equipment as they do for their unpainted/undecorated kits. Figure that one out!
I stopped trying to reason that out since it doesn't make sense-at least to my feeble mind.
NP2626 Doesn't this mean that you RTR guys are winning, if this is a contest?
If this is a contest then they're no clear cut winners since the hobby is to diverse for one market.
I like RTR but,I still like to decal cars so,Accurail's data only cars is on the top of my kit list.
Why?
A lot of today's car just carries the railroad's initals and here's where I can do some one off cars like DSRC (Dakota Southern) or perhaps a HS( Hartford & Slocomb) single door 50' boxcar..
Now,which is better a $11.99 car and decals or a (say) $35.00 HS car with just the initals? Of course the $11.99 car won't be exact and won't have the air hose,brake piping detail and uncoupling bar but,those details can be added by the modeler but,I can live with that.
BTW..I have several cars I want to decal using the data only kits..
NP2626 SNIP "Maybe the thousands who want their rolling stock RTR, preclude our small little group of model builders who want to build them!" Doesn't this mean that you RTR guys are winning, if this is a contest?
SNIP
"Maybe the thousands who want their rolling stock RTR, preclude our small little group of model builders who want to build them!" Doesn't this mean that you RTR guys are winning, if this is a contest?
What someone else wants to do -- especially when it depends on what some manufacturer wants to produce -- doesn't keep me from building anything I want. It's a myth that RTR is hurting kit- or scratch-building. RTR simply opens the hobby up to those who don't build kits -- currently. Nothing wrong with that. It doesn't move my cheese at all. If someone buys a RTR car, it's no skin off my nose and it sure doesn't prevent me from doing what I please.
Much of my modeling is in HOn3. Before Blackstone, it was either brass, kits, or hire someone to build kits for you (the last was something only a very tiny minority wanted or could afford.) With Blackstone, I can concentrate my modeling on things I want to do. No need to build that 50th Rio Grande 3000-series boxcar, for instance, or install a Tsunami in a brass loco (although I can certainly do both.)
I do think it's important to show what can be done, both in straight-forward, built-by-the-instructions kits and ones that are bashed into something else. RTR is a good intro to an even more engaging hobby once you decide you want your skill set to advance beyond taking the credit card out of the wallet stage. But I think we should avoid setting up barriers between the RTR crowd and everyone else. They're usually just strawmen anyway, since it's a very, very rare model railroader these days who doesn't engage in some mix of RTR and kit-building.
This thread is a good example of offering info to encourage people to become more engaged with the hobby.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I agree with Mike, not because we are HOn3 releated, but now, today, you actually can buy better RTR, & today, our time is more of a preimum.Although, I feel a real sense of satisfaction, when I build a model, detail it, or even only switch wheels & couplers.I feel I have something that better than before, & in the case of my Custom Lokies, something no one else has, in the way I do those builds. There is nothing wrong with RTR, but for me, I would like to enjoy assembling them just the same.More KITS, PLEASE!!!!!!More UNDECORATEDS, PLEASE!!!!!!Just my Opinion...
I would add Rio Grande Models to the list. The kits are basically a box of sticks and some castings but they do come out nice and the company offers some unusual prototypes. The box cars and and other closed sided rolling stock use laser cut and scribed parts..
Three examples:
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
I believe I have included everyone's suggestions for kit manufacturers. As I stated; prerequisite to being added to the list is that the business appears to still be actively doing business. If there are more kit manufacturers that you know of, that are not on the list, please, let me know and I will add them.
It appears interest in this thread is waning. It doesn't look like the website will make it a "Sticky". So, for myself, I will make a copy of the list and place the copy in my word processor.
I didn't look but,I will add Bev-Bel,Robin's Rails,Rail Runner,Mckean and the older Yard Master kits from Branchline.
Those can be found on e-Bay and train shows.
Brakie, The list is made up of kit manufacturers still doing business as of today. Are any of the manufacturers you listed still in business? I wasn't going for: what's for sale at auction sites; or, at train shows. I should think anyone in this hobby for a day or two will know about these methods of finding car kits.
NP2626 Brakie, The liist is made up of kit manufacturers still doing business as of today. Are any of the manufacturers you listed still in business? I wasn't going for what's for sale at auction sites; or, at train shows. I should think anyone in this hobby for a day or two will know about these methods of finding car kits.
Brakie, The liist is made up of kit manufacturers still doing business as of today. Are any of the manufacturers you listed still in business? I wasn't going for what's for sale at auction sites; or, at train shows. I should think anyone in this hobby for a day or two will know about these methods of finding car kits.
Well,those are options to look for as far as lower price car kits.
Atlas has the dies and kits for Branchline and the Yardmaster kits.All bets are off if these kits will be available in the future or become Master or Trainman RTR cars-or at least I haven't heard Atlas's plan on those former BL kits.
Larry,
You got me thinking...
First, Atlas has started announcing the old BL stuff as RTR cars, so they'll be back in that form, but it's still an open question about future kit production. Frankly, with the issues manufacturing in China has run into and the state of the economy, it wouldn't surprise me to see more interest in kits by both sellers and buyers.
Then I thought, well most RTR items are really just sitting there, ready to be turned back into a kit. What do I mean? Well, it's not the same as building a kit, but it's the same thing that many people did with kits anyway -- use the parts as the basis to bash something else.
I wouldn't suggest adding all RTR vendors to the current kit list, which I think is very useful as NP2626 conceived of it. However, it's worth keeping in mind that any RTR item is just a kit in disguise if you really need certain parts.
BRAKIE NP2626 Brakie, The liist is made up of kit manufacturers still doing business as of today. Are any of the manufacturers you listed still in business? I wasn't going for what's for sale at auction sites; or, at train shows. I should think anyone in this hobby for a day or two will know about these methods of finding car kits. Well,those are options to look for as far as lower price car kits. Atlas has the dies and kits for Branchline and the Yardmaster kits.All bets are off if these kits will be available in the future or become Master or Trainman RTR cars-or at least I haven't heard Atlas's plan on those former BL kits.
The Branchline offerings are kits at this time. I have visited this part of Atlas' website many times. I don't see their offering the Yardmaster series at this time. If they will stay "Kits" is beyond anyone ability to predict. I have many Branchline cars built from their Blueprint Series and like Branchline's offerings very much.
The idea behind this thread was to formulate a list of kit producers and have other participants here help me get this list organized. The list will be a place for those who like building car kits to go to find what they want.
Since like all other forum threads, this one will eventually get lost in the pile, I have stored this list in my word processor for future reference.
On my list are Silver Crash Car Works and Amesville Shops. Both produce accurate HO resin kits from the Golden Era of Railroading - 1870s to 1900.
Alkem Scale Models and B.T.S. produce HO laser cut wood car kits for the Civil War and Golden Eras. I have yet to try their kits - an ommission I need to correct.
Precision Scale Company (PSC) produces plastic/metal car kits in HOn3. There are other current HOn3 car kit suppliers in addition to the ones listed - Rail Line (plastic), MGRS (resin), Trout Creek Engineering (wood) come to mind.
Labelle produces kits in HO, HOn3, O, On3 - I've built HO and HOn3.
There are many more fine kit makers in On3/On30 and S/Sn3.
Fred W
Fred, What a great list of kit manufacturers! I will get them unto the list! when I get the time! Labelle is already on there. Also, I have included manufacturers who produce kits for scales other than HO. However, there are probaby many more that I don't know about and would ask everyone to help me get those, so I can include.
NP 2626,
Found an interesting supplement worth adding here in the thread. It's a list of decals for different roads matched up with suitable kits. Rather like a reverse telephone directory where if you have the number you can look up whose number it is. You've probably got most of the mfr's listed, but may be worth a look-see.
http://home.comcast.net/~jerryglow/decals/full.html
Also, while I wasn't able to find a website for him personally, Chad Boas develops and markets kits through several historical societies, including the Monon and Southern ones, from time to time. He's out of Lafayette, Indiana and you can find his home snailmail address by searching. I think he's one of those guys that does good work and just doesn't want to bother with the internet. But if you're out there looking for a kit and come across his name, it's good stuff.
Thanks Mike will add as soon as I can get to it. Fred, I didn't have any luck finding information on MGRS, do you have link? Also, I couldn't determine if Trout Creek Engineering manufactures Freight or Passenger car kits? Can you clarify?
I just happen to know those ones.
Here's the link for the site that handles MRGS kits:
http://www.atreasuretrove2003.com/servlet/the-Rolling-Stock-HOn3/Categories
TCE is pretty much freight cars, plus cabooses.
http://www.troutcreekeng.com/tchon.html
Again, thanks Mike they were added!
This is an interesting thread. I did not see anyone mentioning NKP Car Company. This company sells from its website a line of prototypically correct passenger cars for several different railroads. These are craftsman kits for experienced modelers, and they have brass car sides with plastic and resin parts.
http://www.nkpcarco.com/index.html
Here are some I have made.
Budd Sleeper:
Modernized heavyweight dining car:
DIner/Parlor Car
Baggage-RPO car
Branch Line Baggage-RPO Car
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Just when you think there couldn't possibly be any more kit manufacturers, someone brings another to your attention!
Because I love to build things, I could easily talk myself into purchasing a $65.00 craftsman passenger car kit, than just ploping down $65.00-$70.00 on something already built!
Thanks you Heartland Div.CB&Q!
Garry,
Those NKP passenger cars build up really nice. Beautiful work!
This also points toward another source of kits, railroad historical societies. Often, these are kits that are otherwise available, but in paint schemes often not considered commercially viable by manufacturers because of the small numbers involved in many cases.
I happen to have a NKP kit --unfortunately now sold out -- of one of the combines that the Rio Grande used when operating the Rio Grande Zephyr. It was produced as a set of cars sides + the core kit that was offered by the Rio Grande Modeling and Historical Society: http://www.drgw.org/
This kit is an example of one of the more accurate kits offered by RR historical societies. Historical accuracy of kits offered this way varies. Some are simply repaints of otherwise commercially available kits. Others, like the NKP kit I mentioned, can be really specific and make impressive models you'd otherwise have to buy in brass or scratchbuild -- and duplicating the outstanding quality of the NKP carsides will be a challenge beyond the skill set of most modelers.
So, if you're looking for a model unique to a specific RR, check out the relevant historical society to see what they have to offer. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Mike, I did make mention of the fact that the historical societies may carry some kits of their equipment. I just sent for the Northern Pacific Railroad Historical Association's (NPRHA) kit for an N.P. Bay Window Caboose. Brass models of this caboose exist; but, are way beyond what I'm willing to pay. This model is around $40.00 for a laser cut wood kit. Although I have yet to recieve this kit and really can't speak to its' quality, I may do a build thread on it, when I do build it.
I've added OK Engine Company to the list. They may produce kits similar to NKP as shown by Heartland Division CB&Q above. I found this manufacter being offered at Internet Hobbies.
Added: State Tool and Die, HiTech. Details, Durango Press and JL Inovative to the list.
Great list coming together...keep it up!!
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
Another kit manufacturer is Wright Trak models. Resin kits, mostly caboose's but other freight cars also.
I have a couple of their kits but have not built them yet.
http://www.wrighttrak.com/
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!
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!
Certainly there must be one or two more kit manufacturers out there, that the list does not include!