Onewolf But I'm HO and 1950s so there's more selection than modern N scale.
But I'm HO and 1950s so there's more selection than modern N scale.
https://www.shapeways.com/shops/madaboutcars?section=1%2F160&s=0
MisterBeasley One thing I always notice on modular club layouts at train shows is the number of vehicles they have. There are too many, as if the owners decided to use their module as a display platform for their auto collections. I find too many vehicles to be a distraction, and I've pretty much stopped buying any more for now. And don't get me started on putting Matchbox cars on an HO layout, and certainly no Formula 1 race cars, either.
One thing I always notice on modular club layouts at train shows is the number of vehicles they have. There are too many, as if the owners decided to use their module as a display platform for their auto collections. I find too many vehicles to be a distraction, and I've pretty much stopped buying any more for now.
And don't get me started on putting Matchbox cars on an HO layout, and certainly no Formula 1 race cars, either.
I understand and agree, but there is also a flip side: I've seen many layouts that have too few vehicles (IMO, of course).
My layout has a complete network of roads, highways, and surface streets that has been included in the design from the very beginning. I tried to include the surface roads in a reasonable proportion to the rail trackage. Not to showcase my auto collection, but merely trying to capture the essence of the prototype.
There are heavy industrial areas (steel mill, chemical plant, paper mill, etc), and each could presumably employ hundreds of shift workers inside and require large parking lots for their vehicles outside. Not to mention service vehicles and whatnot. I tried to include such things, but I had only a limited amount of benchwork real estate to dole out.
There is also a small town with stores, offices, banks, movie theaters, barber shops . . . even a prompt service restaurant, and I figure a modern layout needs to address the prototypical realities. I tried.
The layout has an intermodal yard, and when a 30-car stack train arrives or departs, there are as many as 60 containers that need to be handled and swapped out (hence the name intermodal). But even worse, there is a deep-water port which occupies the entire lower level. My plans call for two ocean going ships: a large container ship (Albatross) and an automobile carrier (Ming-na Maru). They are in the 4- to 5-foot range (600 to 800 N-scale feet), so that puts them on the smallish side of large. Even so, each could conceivably carry a thousand containers or automobiles. So, my few dozen trucks and cars are only a drop in the bucket in the scheme of things.
Like Mike (in SE WI), I try to collect stuff when and as it comes available. With a little patience and a lot of persistence, I think I'll get there. Eventually.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
All I have done is look at Shapeway on line. Never touched one of the cars/trucks nor painted a Shapeway or any other N scale item. At my age and with slight tremors in my hands, I don't see how I could put a decent paint job one one. Has anyone here actually painted an N scale Shapeway vehicle? Difficulity? Visibility of the lines caused by the printing process?
Paul D
N scale Washita and Santa Fe RailroadSouthern Oklahoma circa late 70's
riogrande576115 5o 18 dollars for an entire 18 wheeler (tractor and trailer) isn't bad. Athearn's Fruehauf trailers are now (for the past couple years) selling for street price $18-20 just for a single trailer.
Jim,That's the reason I turn to Trucks and Stuff you can fill trailer drop lots because trailers costs between $7.99- 12.99 street.
They may not be as fancy as the Atlas or Athearn trailers but,seeing all vehicles are dust collectors they will do.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I'm an N scaler also and I feel your pain... My autos and trucks cost me at least $10.00 each and I have over 40 of them on my transitional era layout. As it's been said, there isn't much to choose from so I had to accept what I could get. I spread them out so there wouldn't be a large group of cars in one place. That said, I'm happy with what I have. I just wish that they were cheaper.
These are HO scale.
I have a bunch of old Chevvies from when they were showing up a Wal-Mart for $1.69. They are pretty nice models. I've got one Edsel that cost me around $15. I'm not a die-cast afficionado, but I honestly don't see any difference in quality.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Actually the Matchbox semis and sanitation trucks are fine if a bit small when properly weathered.
Now cars car a different story matchbox Hot wheels etc are too large I bought some cars off ebay. They aren’t highly detailed but most cars nowadays look the same anyway.
Joe Staten Island West
BRAKIE truckings companies like Crete,Landstar Ranger,Western etc.
truckings companies like Crete,Landstar Ranger,Western etc.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
For anyone looking for N scale vehicles, you might want to try halfpricehobby.com. They have all sorts of things for model railroads that are always discounted. Cheaper than walthers. Shipping is $8.99 versus walthers' $11.95.
I was checking out halfpricehobby and I followed the trail on some of the vehicles back to one of the manufactures (GHQ). I was unaware of GHQ but was pleasantly suprised at the variety and pricing on their N scale vehicles. Appears everything must be painted but that seems to be a common thread with most of the stuff I have seen. Guess I need to find me someone with steady hands to do some painting for me.
It's like Jason Shron was saying in his column in Canadian Railway Modeller's current issue - price relates to quality. A 'generic' mass-produced one size fits all F7 is going to cost a lot less than one with details specific to a railroad - or even to a specific engine. Similarly, the trend in autos has been for specific makes, models and years, not just generic "sedans" and "coupes".
Still, I'd say you could mix a bit - keep an eye out for inexpensive, less detailed plastic cars suitable for a background scene, or a crowded parking lot, and save the expensive Oxford or CMW ones for foreground scenes.
https://www.walthers.com/station-set-includes-10-automobiles-6-station-figures-6-railroad-crew-figures
https://www.walthers.com/toyota-sedan-set-pkg-6
https://www.walthers.com/4-classic-passenger-cars