I have a number of Atlas Pulpwood cars bought when they were sold as kits. They included a large number of preformed grab-irons of various sizes that the builder had to fit, and cement, in pre-drilled holes in the car body. Although a lot of work, the delicate and lacy wirework made for a good-looking model, particularly when the unrealistic-looking pulpwood load supplied by Atlas was replaced with a much more realistic-looking Chooch substitute.
Wishing to buy more of these models I looked at the new run by Atlas which are now sold R-T-R. However, perusing photos of these models on the Trainworld website I noticed that the grabs all appear to be molded on now. To me, compared with the original kit version, they appear rather clunky and coarse - definitely a retrograde step in my opinion. Although perhaps acceptable by themselves, mixing them with the originals would only highlight the difference and render the new models even more crude by comparison. Much as I'd like to acquire some new road names, I'll probably forego these purchases. I just thought I'd bring this to the attention of others who were also planning to add to their Atlas Pulpwood car fleet.
I wish Atlas had seen fit to produce the R-T-R versions with the original wire grabs already fitted as I for one would have been happy to pay the undoubtedly higher retail price this proceedure would have entailed.
Ah well, life goes on regardless.
I surprised that the RTR have lessened detail. Most other of the line actually has quite a bit of rather fragile parts. Even changing couplers can be challeneging not to break uncoupling and air hoses. I would contact them to see if a higher quality one may be in the works. If colors are an easy match plus a bit of weathering to hide, shave off and add the most obvious ones.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
When did Atlas offer kits in HO or N? I thought Atlas's line of rolling stock has always been RTR.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761When did Atlas offer kits in HO or N? I thought Atlas's line of rolling stock has always been RTR.
Having come back from the Timonium train show today, and seeing some different pulpwood car versions, me thinks that the cars the OP is speaking of might really be Walthers items.
It appears they currently offer kits for box cars and a reefer http://www.atlasrr.com/hofreight/hobranchlineboxcars.htm
March 1, 2011 http://www.atlasrr.com/news/branchline.htm
Search did not find any reference to ATLAS pulpwood flat kits. OP's kits are probably some other brand.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
riogrande5761 When did Atlas offer kits in HO or N? I thought Atlas's line of rolling stock has always been RTR.
Jim,Atlas offered N Scale car kits in the 60s---some of these cars are still available as RTR..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
DSchmitt It appears they currently offer kits for box cars and a reefer http://www.atlasrr.com/hofreight/hobranchlineboxcars.htm March 1, 2011 http://www.atlasrr.com/news/branchline.htm Search did not find any reference to ATLAS pulpwood flat kits. OP's kits are probably some other brand.
Sorry, but you're the one who's wrong. My cars are Atlas models. I have the original boxes and they are labeled Atlas "HO Ready-To-run Rolling Stock." They are ready-to-run except for the fact that the wire grab irons come in a separate package along with an instruction sheet that lists the various grab iron sizes and shows the location on the car where they are to be applied. This is the way all the Atlas original run Pulpwood cars were packaged and marketed.
The latest run of Atlas Pulpwood cars are identical in appearance except for the fact that the grab irons are now all molded on. The Chooch pulpwood loads I bought to replace the rather poor-looking stock ones are made for the Atlas car and only fit that particular model. Exactly as I said in my original post.
DaywhitemtnsSorry, but you're the one who's wrong. My cars are Atlas models. I have the original boxes and they are labeled Atlas "HO Ready-To-run Rolling Stock." They are ready-to-run except for the fact that the wire grab irons come in a separate package along with an instruction sheet that lists the various grab iron sizes and shows the location on the car where they are to be applied. This is the way all the Atlas original run Pulpwood cars were packaged and marketed.
You didn't say that in your original post. You called them "kits". I did a search and did not find any reference to pulpwood car "kits" by ATLAS. Both maxman (who probably has more knowledge of HO than me) and I assumed you had the brand wrong.
By the way I have been an N scaler for 48 years. What little I know about HO scale models is from this Forum, magazines, and by looking things up on the net, but I am better at finding information than most people on this Forum.
Daywhitemtns I have the original boxes and they are labeled Atlas "HO Ready-To-run Rolling Stock."
Did these come in the red boxes?
maxman Daywhitemtns I have the original boxes and they are labeled Atlas "HO Ready-To-run Rolling Stock." Did these come in the red boxes?
Yes, they came in the red boxes.
DSchmitt Daywhitemtns Sorry, but you're the one who's wrong. My cars are Atlas models. I have the original boxes and they are labeled Atlas "HO Ready-To-run Rolling Stock." They are ready-to-run except for the fact that the wire grab irons come in a separate package along with an instruction sheet that lists the various grab iron sizes and shows the location on the car where they are to be applied. This is the way all the Atlas original run Pulpwood cars were packaged and marketed. You didn't say that in your original post. You called them "kits". I did a search and did not find any reference to pulpwood car "kits" by ATLAS. Both maxman (who probably has more knowledge of HO than me) and I assumed you had the brand wrong. By the way I have been an N scaler for 48 years. What little I know about HO scale models is from this Forum, magazines, and by looking things up on the net, but I am better at finding information than most people on this Forum.
Daywhitemtns Sorry, but you're the one who's wrong. My cars are Atlas models. I have the original boxes and they are labeled Atlas "HO Ready-To-run Rolling Stock." They are ready-to-run except for the fact that the wire grab irons come in a separate package along with an instruction sheet that lists the various grab iron sizes and shows the location on the car where they are to be applied. This is the way all the Atlas original run Pulpwood cars were packaged and marketed.
Atlas may have called these cars R-T-R but as far as I'm concerned they're kits because the buyer must add parts to the cars to make them complete and then paint the grab-irons to match the body color.
DaywhitemtnsAtlas may have called these cars R-T-R but as far as I'm concerned they're kits because the buyer must add parts to the cars to make them complete and then paint the grab-irons to match the body color.
I see your point. I got interested in the thread because except for the simple N scale kits pointed out by maxman, I had never heard of Atlas freight car kits. As I pointed out they do now have kits for housecars (their Branchline Series). Other companies have made pulpwood flat kits so it was not much of a jump to speculate you had the brand wrong.
DSchmitt Daywhitemtns Atlas may have called these cars R-T-R but as far as I'm concerned they're kits because the buyer must add parts to the cars to make them complete and then paint the grab-irons to match the body color. I see your point. I got interested in the thread because except for the simple N scale kits pointed out by maxman, I had never heard of Atlas freight car kits. As I pointed out they do now have kits for housecars (their Branchline Series). Other companies have made pulpwood flat kits so it was not much of a jump to speculate you had the brand wrong.
Daywhitemtns Atlas may have called these cars R-T-R but as far as I'm concerned they're kits because the buyer must add parts to the cars to make them complete and then paint the grab-irons to match the body color.
It's all good. I can see how I contributed to the confusion with my choice of nomenclature. I was simply looking for a way to distinguish between the original run of Atlas Pulpwood cars which required some assembly by the owner and the latest run of the cars which truly are R-T-R.
BTW, the original run of cars included 34 separate, preformed wire grabs that had to be inserted into pre-drilled holes in the body, glued into place, and then painted to match. It's these components that give the finished car a delicate, lacy appearance compared with the most recent run which, with their molded on grabs, in my opinion looks rather coarse by comparison.
I didn't want to create a firestorm here but simply wanted to warn those contemplating purchasing the new run of cars of the difference between the two offerings despite the R-T-R appellation applied to both.
Daywhitemtns maxman Daywhitemtns I have the original boxes and they are labeled Atlas "HO Ready-To-run Rolling Stock." Did these come in the red boxes? Yes, they came in the red boxes.
maxman
Daywhitemtns I have the original boxes and they are labeled Atlas "HO Ready-To-run Rolling Stock." Did these come in the red boxes?
Out of curiosity are the new cars from the Atlas Trainman line of cars? I looked at the Atlas website and the only pulpwood cars I see listed are from this line. Maybe what you are looking at is an evolution process where the original line of cars morphed into the Trainman and Master car lines, where the lesser detailed items ended up in the Trainman line.
I do have some undec Atlas tankcars that came in those red boxes. These were all assembled except that the buyer had to assemble the side ladders and the end of car railings. Atlas doesn't sell anything like that anymore, either.
maxman Daywhitemtns maxman Daywhitemtns I have the original boxes and they are labeled Atlas "HO Ready-To-run Rolling Stock." Did these come in the red boxes? Yes, they came in the red boxes. Out of curiosity are the new cars from the Atlas Trainman line of cars? I looked at the Atlas website and the only pulpwood cars I see listed are from this line. Maybe what you are looking at is an evolution process where the original line of cars morphed into the Trainman and Master car lines, where the lesser detailed items ended up in the Trainman line. I do have some undec Atlas tankcars that came in those red boxes. These were all assembled except that the buyer had to assemble the side ladders and the end of car railings. Atlas doesn't sell anything like that anymore, either.
You may be on to something here. The original run of cars was listed in the Masterline series. If as you say the current run is listed in the Trainman series, that would explain its apparent downgrade.
I think the earlier run of Walthers C&NW Bi-level commuter cars involved having to install your own grab irons; I think they now come installed by the factory. I think you also had to decal on your own choice of numbers which is something modelers have been asking for for years.
Some Intermountain RTR flatcars also have grabs that are installed by the purchaser, if memory serves.
Some brass locomotives came shipped with the lead weight needing to be installed by the purchaser - to minimize damage in transit.
Having to do things like that does not, in my mind, make them kits. They can be run right out of the box, they just are not as complete as they could be. Given what happens during shipment and on the LHS shelves, it probably saves both dealer and purchaser from having to deal with a lot of busted off small parts.
Dave Nelson
Apparently, whether a model is a kit, or not a kit, is a subjective choice. To my mind the original offering of Atlas "R-T-R" Pulpwood Cars was a kit but to others it is not. But who cares? Although somehow the main thrust of this thread became a discussion of what is and what is not a kit (depends on what the meaning of is is?) that was not my intention. To reiterate, I intended this as heads-up to those who own the original run not to expect the same level of detail from the current run. Nothing more and nothing less.
Now, I'm sure that kit or not kit is a fascinating subject in its own right and perhaps someone should start a thread to explore all its ramifications as there seems to be a great deal of interest in this topic. I will leave that to others more qualified than myself to discuss.