I guess I'll count myself in the cheapskates group. Out of ~100 cars, I have about 1/3 Athearn BB, about half cheap cars that I've tuned up and added Kadees, and the remainder some sort of high end or craftsman car.
I do enjoy fabricating "believeable" projects, such as the RC idler/flat car, and detailing or reworking locomotives. I remotored my Bowser T1 and bought the Bowser running gear for my Bachmann Niagara. My freelanced freight road is a custom paint and decal job with enhanced lighting (I still run DC).
I've often thought that hours of pleasure per dollar spent is a good metric for success in the hobby.
Genesee Terminal, freelanced HO in Upstate NY ...hosting Loon Bay Transit Authority and CSX Intermodal. Interchange with CSX (CR)(NYC).
CP/D&H, N scale, somewhere on the Canadian Shield
My old BB and MDC stock was assembled for years before I finally sold it off. I guess I'll have to hold my nose and admit I buy RTR now.
I like the wire grabs and thin roofwalks and replacing the BB/MDC stuff with those details was more work than I wanted to do. Its simply easier to by it already assembled instead of adding stuff to my older models.
I have a smaller layout than many, with a need for only about 50 to 75 cars total. So replacing the older cars with RTR cars was not much of a cost issue when factoring in the proceeds from selling the BB stuff and not buying the details to upgrade them.
- Douglas
In my case, I have a little bit of everything. Freight car wise, I have probably about 10-15 Athearn RTR as they are cars that I need for the era I model, a quantity of MDC cars that I have stripped and repainted for both my freelanced road and one the prototype road that I model, a small quantity of E&C Shops cars (Mostly woodchips), a few Accurail cars, a dozen or so Walthers cars, a bunch of Tyco caboose (with Athearn caboose trucks), as well as the occasional onesy or twosy from other manufacturers. However, most of the freight cars I have otherwise are BB Athearn. Some of those Athearn BB have been bashed to fit a specific purpose.
Passenger cars are Athearn BB streamliners (with upgraded weights and repainted with custom decals), about 18 or so MDC Overtons, and three older MDC Harrimans (also repainted with custom decals).
On the engine side (40 or so), a Walthers SW1 (original run, with plastic tubing for drive which I upgraded using NWSL components), three P2Ks (2 GP18s and and SW1200), a pair of old AMH U-boats, three Atlas yellow box S-4s, four Model Power 2-6-0 switchers, and the rest are either complete Athearn BBs or else use Athearn BB drives in a kitbash (8 Tythearn GP20s and a Bachthearn GP30).
All of these use some sort of knuckle coupler. (Kadees mostly. The rest will be converted as the need arises.)
Russell,I dunno since I have no need for carbon black cars on my ISL.
I picked up several 5188cf 3 bay covered hoppers in the operators series.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE carbon black cars...... Beautiful cars indeed but,I go cheap and buy the operator cars.
Russell
Twenty five years ago almost all my rolling stock was Athearn kits. Then I started adding Accurail kits and Bowser kits to my collection. I still do an occasional kit but with the arthritis in my hands I'm doing fewer and fewer. I really don't need anymore rolling stock ( or engines ) so I haven't bought anything for a while. What I have bought is RTR.
traindaddy1My questions were not intended to specify any scale in particular. I was just thinking back to "the days of yore" when I was an avid modeler and was wondering what the present day modelers are doing.
I kinda miss those "days of yore" seems things was simpler back then.
I dunno..Maybe ignorance was a bless back then when compared to the instant knowledge we have at our finger tips today..
maxman Paul3 I would never spend $50 for a freight car I always felt the same way. But then Scale Trains came out with their carbon black cars......
Paul3 I would never spend $50 for a freight car
I always felt the same way. But then Scale Trains came out with their carbon black cars......
Beautiful cars indeed but,I go cheap and buy the operator cars.
traindaddy1 My questions were not intended to specify any scale in particular.
My questions were not intended to specify any scale in particular.
That was what I gleened from your first post, but people tend to latch onto certain things in this forum and run with them when they may not be what the OP was trying to get at. Too much model train trivia tucked away in those brains wanting desperately to get out! It's pretty typical here.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
First of all, thanks to everyone who has posted replies.
Just to clarify. I was in the HO world for more than fifty years until "this old body" couldn't work with the small stuff. While in HO, enjoyed both the building side as well as the cab control operational side.
My questions were not intended to specify any scale in particular. I was just thinking back to "the days of yore" when I was an avid modeler and was wondering what the present day modelers are doing.
Again, thanks for your replies. To be sure, I'll keep reading.
These are RTR cars. I don't do anything else with them.
All of my freight cars are from Atlas. Close to at least 70% I believe. With a mix of Micro-Trains, Bluford Shops and Trainworx with Kato Amtrak passenger cars.
I have one CR LO from Athearns, going to have 4 boxcars and maybe coalporters from Intermountain (I forgot I have some Auto Racks 3) and a BLI NYC XM.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
riogrande5761 traindaddy1 Because of phisical limitations, I've gone from HO to O. It sounds like the OP is switching from HO to O scale. Yet everyone is answering about HO stuff? Or am I missing something?
traindaddy1 Because of phisical limitations, I've gone from HO to O.
Because of phisical limitations, I've gone from HO to O.
It sounds like the OP is switching from HO to O scale. Yet everyone is answering about HO stuff? Or am I missing something?
I thought it was about how much/many freight cars you have in RTR, kit or scratch built. Or favorite manufacturer.
riogrande5761...It sounds like the OP is switching from HO to O scale. Yet everyone is answering about HO stuff? Or am I missing something?
Perhaps this....
traindaddy1...Richard: Am already comfortable in the "O" stuff for a few years now. I was just "Kind of reminiscing" when I posed the questions. Thanks.....
Wayne
dti406...Accurail also does undecorated and decorated kits, but I find them unsatisfactory in the most part as I prefer the better grabs and ladders in the more detailed kits.
While I've seen very well-done Accurail cars, built "stock" but weathered so skillfully that the grabs and ladders appear to be separately-applied items, I too prefer such details to be free-standing - perhaps a little OCD after detailing so many Athearn and MDC cars.However, Accurail is one of the few companies currently offering rolling stock kits which fit my late '30s modelling era, and at affordable prices.
That's why I have so many of them, like this reefer, re-worked to match a photo of the prototype...
...or all of my dozen-or-so Accurail doublesheathed USRA boxcars...
...although the cast-on end ladders on all of those remain.
I expend similar time and effort on such "Who could be bothered...." type of cars such as Train Miniature...
LifeLike...
Tyco...
...amd old Model Die Casting, too...
Part of this is because I enjoy the work and the results, and part of it is because I can....and therefore I must.
maxmanPaul3: I would never spend fifty dollars ona a freight car... I always felt the same way. But then Scale Trains came out with their carbon black cars......
.
I felt this way about plastic cars right up until Rapido announced the Northern Pacific Single Sheathed wooden car. I guess four for $200.00 sounded better than one for $50.00 to me.
It even has correct AB brake details and updates for my era.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
If a car is offered in kit form and decals are available I will buy the kit, build it, modify it if needed, then paint an decal it.
Tangent, has kits of most of their cars and they are more difficult than most to build but they make a beautiful car.
Exactrail, has some kits but they are getting hard to find, although I have a stash of PS 4427 CF and Evans 4780 CF Covered Hoppers. I wish I could get some more of their PS 5344 CF Boxcars.
Branchline/Atlas: You can still find Branchline kits around and the undecorated kits are great as they have extra roofs and ends that can be used in kitbashing endevors, Atlas still brings in the undec kits with each run, but the dealers never list them when preordering them for some reason.
Intermountain, has undecorated kits for all their cars but again hard to find and order due to dealers.
Accurail also does undecorated and decorated kits, but I find them unsatisfactory in the most part as I prefer the better grabs and ladders in the more detailed kits.
Rick Jesionowski
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!
OK,
My fleet of freight cars is approaching 800 cars, the number I figured I needed to cover the operational plan for my layout.
They run the whole range:
Craftsman kits of wood, metal, resin, old and newer offerings, and high detail modern plastic kits.
Old and new "basic" kits, Athearn, MDC, old Athearn and Varney metal cars, Accurail, Bowser, etc.
Higher end RTR, like Fox Valley, Spring Mills Depot, Proto2000, etc, and undecorated kit versions of many of these.
And, more basic "RTR" like Athearn "Ready to Roll", Bachmann Silver Series, etc.
Like Paul above, for me "close enough" is usually good enough for most models.
I do lots of kit bashing, and lots of "minimum effort" upgrades.
Unlike Paul, I see passenger cars in that same way, close enough is good enough, even though I love passenger trains. First, accurate passenger cars are expensive, hard to find, time consuming to build, and often hard to document.
Second, I am a freelance modeler first, so my "need" for accurate passenger cars is "subjective".
I have Athearn heavyweights and stramliners, ConCor 72' streamliners, MDC "Harriman" cars, all with added details and close coupled with working/touching American Limited diaphragms. I also have some Bachmann, Branchline, and a few others.
I don't "ban" full lenght cars, but most of my fleet is less than 75' in length. Selective compression works in my view......and not all passenger cars were 80/85 feet long.......
My passengers cars only represent four roads, B&O, C&O, Western Maryland, and my ATLANTIC CENTRAL - but there are nearly 200 of them.
The close coupling and working/touching diaphragms, and reasonable appearance on curves is to my eye more important that focusing in on any one car.
I have kit bashed a number of Athearn cars into cars not offered.
Sheldon
Wayne,
The only ExactRail cars I have are a couple of Milwaukee "ribbed" boxcars - ca. 1940/41. The vast majority of their offerings are too modern for me, as well.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
doctorwayneTangent and Rapido both offer kit versions of their freight cars - not a great savings in price, but it's easier to modify a kit than a car already built.
99.5% of my roster ws either bult from kits, or ar RTR cars that were "re-kitted" after purchase. The only car I have that I took out of the box and set on the rails is Fox Valley's B&O boxcar lettered for the Allegheny Midland. That one car met all my needs straight from the box.
Rapido offers their new releases in Undecorated kits, but there is no savings and you must buy four of them. Like Wayne, I prefer kits so I can build them to my standards as I need them. Cost is not a factor in this decision.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
tstage...Granted, detailed models from manufacturers like Tangent and ExactRail are exquisitely done.....
I can't comment on ExactRail, as their cars are too modern for my layout's era, but Tangent and Rapido both offer kit versions of their freight cars - not a great savings in price, but it's easier to modify a kit than a car already built.
The vast majority of my car fleet are kits because I'm cheap. I was gathering a 300+ car roster for my old layout, so I was after volume, not quality. Athearn Blue Boxes and Accurails are the most popular items in my fleet (with a little Bowser in there). The freight RTR's I have are Kadee, InterMountain, Atlas, Athearn RTR, Walthers, etc.
For passenger cars, my fleet is mostly RTR: Rapido, Walthers, Branchline, Bachman Spectrum, and brass. I pretty much dumped the Rivarossi and Con-Cor cars (except for those with sentimental value). Athearn baggage cars & Branchline coaches are about the only passenger car kits I have, other than a few (very few) resin kits I own.
In short, freight cars are (for the most part) something I don't want to spend a lot of money on. Generic and inaccurate freight car models are fine for me (within reason; no Franklin Mint stuff). Passenger cars I will shell out to get accurate models. I would never spend $50 for a freight car, but I'd spend $100 for an accurate passenger car.
As for enhancing RTR's, it depends on the model. Putting decals on an unnumbered car is something I do. Changing to Kadees is a must, and so are metal wheels (to run at my club). But I don't add brake hoses or much of that sort of thing.
traindaddy1For the most part are your cars from kits or are they RTR? If RTR, do you get already detailed cars or do you enhance (change couplers, add spring trucks, decals etc.) more available stock? Lastly, do you prefer one brand over another?
If RTR, do you get already detailed cars or do you enhance (change couplers, add spring trucks, decals etc.) more available stock?
Lastly, do you prefer one brand over another?
I would have to guess that ~85% of my roster is from kits. It would be closer to 100% if more current offerings were available in kit-form vs RTR. Granted, detailed models from manufacturers like Tangent and ExactRail are exquisitely done. Even so, I still like and prefer putting together my rolling stock. It increase the entertainment value of my purchases.
For RTR, I only buy unique and unusual models that fit my era. The newer stock usually comes with Kadee couplers and metal wheelsets. Any kits I put together automatically receive that upgrade if they come with plastic parts.
I like a lot of different brands. Accurail isn't as nicely detailed as some other kits or RTR but they are still nice and can be "enhanced". (Dr. Wayne is quite good at that.) And Accurail is one of the few kit manufacturers left who hasn't converted to RTR. The detailing of their newer releases has actually improved over the past few years. I'm quite fond of their 6- & 8-panel wood boxcars.
Along with Accurail I'm a fan of Branchline, Bowser, ExactRail, Intermountain, Proto 2000, Red Caboose, and Tangent. I'm not a big fan of either Athearn or Walthers.
About 95% of my rolling stock is kits. Aside from three MDC loco kits, the remainder of my locos are ready to run although I detail and weather them. I'd probably have more loco kits but everyone stopped making them. I just can't allow myself to spend the kind of money manufacturers want for the new RTR stuff! Even my RTR locos were purchased used or on clearance sale.
Hornblower
traindaddy1....When I started, in the mid 1950's, my rolling stock came from Varney kits and in the 1960's the consists grew with Ready To Run items.....
I started in HO at about the same time, and while I had some Varney kits (metal and plastic), I also had MDC, Athearn, and Athenticast (metal), Silverstreak (wood and metal), along with Globe Diesels (plastic), and John English and Tyco steamers, both diecast metal.
I still have many of those cars and the steam locomotives, and almost everything I have owned since then has been kits, usually modified to some degree. I have a small number of r-t-r cars, most of them altered, a few brass locomotives (all of them altered), and while I'm still adding some kit-built cars, I'll be scratchbuilding a number of models of particular prototypes for which no models are available or for ones which are available but for which I feel I can do better myself.
I got used to building kits as a teenager, just because they were cheaper.
Now I still buy kits, partly because they're cheaper, and partly because there are always a few new ones from Accurail at train shows. For a while a few years ago, Walthers would put extremely nice kits on clearance sale in the flyer catalog. I still have unbuilt kits from then.
Kits receive metal wheelsets and Kadee couplers while being built, in addition to weathering.
Unique rolling stock generally involves finding undecorated kits and finishing them with home-made decals.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Mike: Thanks
Richard: Am already comfortable in the "O" stuff for a few years now. I was just "Kind of reminiscing" when I posed the questions. Thanks.
Paul: My current focus is working with Postwar Lionel. Thanks.