One thing no one has talked about is the handrails. The earlier limited editions, including the 20th Century Limited, had handrails, grab irons, etc. that the modeler had to install. It took me 2 winters to get that done on the entire train plus 2 additional cars. Man was I mad when they started factory installing the handrails after the 20th Century Limited.
There is one other thing to add when comparing Walthers vs the competition. I recently bought a set of Rapido's Osgood Bradley coaches in New Haven paint for about the same price as the Walthers cars. The difference was that the Rapido cars came with their Easy Peasy lighting system included. The Walthers cars need the additional purchase of their lighting system. Even then, I had to build and light my own drumhead to get that classic 20th Century Limited look as per my Avatar.
I have repeatedly brought up wanting to have lighted drumheads to Walthers reps, but they aren't listening. Tomar for those with a masochistic bent,
I have O-B cars as well, and had other Rapido cars, and it's true they have overhead lighting. But considering how annoying buying and changing batteries is, imagine the first time you forget and leave a consist turned on long enough to kill, say, 16 to 20 batteries at once. Additionally, the holders are not the greatest, and get distorted and flaky after awhile. Many ops might just decide the heck with the whole idea like I did; sounded good but not user-friendly. The best lighting I've seen so far is in MTH cars (includes drumheads). The trucks supply power, yet are very free-rolling, and super caps prevent flicker.
Hal
hdtvnutThe best lighting I've seen so far is in MTH cars (includes drumheads). The trucks supply power, yet are very free-rolling, and super caps prevent flicker.
I can't say that I was ever a big supporter of MTH but when they came out with the 1938 Century and I could finally have appropriate cars to hang on the rear of the Broadway streamlined Hudson, and after reading a review of the cars here by Tom Stage I jumped in and bought a set, and additional cars to make up a fifteen car train and then picked up a 13 car Empire State Express to boot!
I was VERY impressed with what MTH produced! Not to mention the superb lighting but small details like table lamps and appropriate colors for the interior seats and partitions, not just the ivory/biege of the Walthers lightweights.
I have a dozen or so of the Rapido cars with the battery lights, mine are a sickly pea green LED and the battery thing is pretty useless. Rapido's recent offerings are better, with track pick-up and beautifully done interiors. Coach seats with the antimacassars painted on, etched glass partitions and beautifully done underbody details. I have one of the Park series dome-observations that has a very nicely lit tail sign. It is properly diffused so there isn't a "hot spot" in the center like a straight LED would make.
Just like with sound decoders, wouldn't it be nice if passenger car manufacturers could get it together and finally get ALL the details correct.
Oh, and another thing about the MTH cars. It's a cinch to open them up to access the interior as opposed to the Walthers "system."
Still, I'm sure glad we have the variety of choices today over what was out there even just ten years ago.
[edit] I forgot to include the C-Z cars from Broadway Limited, they are right up there with MTH, Rapido and recent Walthers but I don't expect anything new from them anytime soon
Ed
hdtvnutI have repeatedly brought up wanting to have lighted drumheads to Walthers reps, but they aren't listening. Tomar for those with a masochistic bent,
I tried Tomar's 20th Century Limited drumhead but it was too square. The actual 20th drumhead is rectangular as you can see from my avatar. Also didn't like the color and it was nearly impossible to read when not lighted. Through trial and error I found that I could produce a correct size image on the computer and attach the printer paper cutout to a piece of clear styrene with CA. The CA made the paper translucent even after it dried. The addition of a back lit blue LED gave me the look I was hoping for. Plus, you can make out the drumhead even when it is not lighted. I'll try to get a picture posted soon.
I realize I'm quite late to this conversation but thought I'd add something. Some problems with radius have to do with easements in the curves. If you go from a straight section right into 24R there is a severe change in direction for the cars and can cause derailments and uncoupling. If you ease into the curve there won't be sutch a jarring movement for your rolling stock.
I have photos of my Walthers observation car 20th Century Limited drumhead illuminated but all of a sudden the Post Reply editing box no longer contains icons to insert images or videos. Anyone know what gives? Thanks.
OK, I seem to have the insert image thing cleared up but I have to use FireFox instead of IE.
Here is the Walthers NYC 20th Century Limited observation car with the unlighted home made drumhead.
Illuminated with added marker lights (red LED plus fiber optics).
I would have paid extra for Walthers to have included these features in the original car.