Interest in kits

[Jack Derby]

Ahhh, but what if the model were changed, to have a die cast frame and plastic body?

[BRAKIE]

Jack Derby

Ahhh, but what if the model were changed, to have a die cast frame and plastic body?

 

Like the old Roundhouse cars of the 60s/70s?  Good thought but,one better keep his pin vise or Dremel handy since the metal floor could have sallow truck mounting holes. Good modeling files may be needed to remove the burrs.

[Jack Derby]

I personally have never put those together, but modern tooling might fix some of the problems

[gregc]

Jack Derby

Are there any modelers out there who would like to see a line of cast metal car kits introduced to the market by a commercial manufacturer? If so, what scales and cars would you be interested in?

i pretty sure the answers are yes and all.  But shouldn't the questions be more along the lines of are there enough to make it profitable?

so while it might be nice to manufacture some rare car and have 100% of the market (be the sole supplier), it would probably be more profitable to have 10% of the market for a car the sells 100s if not 1000 times more.   Hence, the large number of manufacturers for UP big boys.

[Jack Derby]

Let's put it this way... I am interested not in profits, but supplying the unusual.  After all, while there are thousands of some models, how many GN heater cars, built from FT-B's, or PRR theatrical cars have you seen in any gauge?

[Jack Derby]

Or ATSF dynometer cars?

["JaBear"]

Gidday Jack, if I read you correctly I’m taking it that you have a hankering to try your hand at die casting a freight car of some description, but what freight car?

Over the years my observation is that a lot of the small model railroad manufacturers have got into the business because what they’ve wanted hasn’t been manufactured by anyone else! Some have hit upon the right niche market and others haven’t but I suspect what began as a labour of love ended up as hard work, and possibly took the FUN part out of model railroading for them.

This is not to discourage you, but asking on the forum what’s required and in what scale is a bit like putting kid in an old fashioned sweet shop and then telling them they can only choose two items! So as far as I’m concerned you’re going to have to decide on what you want because if all else fails you’ve ended up with what you want.

As an aside, HO PRR Theatrical Cars, Kit# 436, 436A appear to be available from here.....

http://bethlehemcarworks.com/Products/Craftsman_Kit_Cars/index.html

....and Hallmark made an HO brass dynamometer car.......

http://www.atsfrr.com/resources/Sandifer/29/Index.htm

Cheers, the Bear.

[Jack Derby]

These are not cars I personally am interested in, for my layout, but seemed unusual, likely someone would want, and I could probably make.  They were just examples, and I was curious as to what other peeps wanted to see...