Trix NYC Caboose: A First-Look Review

[Anonymous]

Subject: Trix HO Scale NYC 1900-series Caboose
Street Price: $39

The NYC #1900 series HO scale plastic caboose from the expading Trix line of North American models. The car continues the recent trend begun by Walthers of releasing prototype-specific caboose models. As modeled, the caboose represents the three-window low-cupola style used by the NYC in eastern regions. Similar cabooses served on the B&A, Rutland and St. J&LC. Several protytpes still exist today. This prototype, along with four-window and high-cupola cars, has previously been available in RTR brass and resin kits. The Trix offering is the first time this car has been done in plastic.

The model is faithful to the overall proportions of the prototype. The ladders, walkways, cupola and window placement all appear in the right places. As with any "standard" railroad car, the prototypes had many detail variations but the model captuers the overall look. All the grab irons are individual wire or plastic castings. While the plastic grabs look reasonable, the wire grabs stick out over a scale foot fromt eh car sides. These need to be removed, trimmed and reinstalled.

The underframe and truss roads are molded with the bare minimum of detail. Window glazing is think and noticeable. It needs to be replaced.

The trucks feature free-rolling, RP25 metal wheels, though the sideframes lack the crisp detail modelers have come to expect in new releases. The large knuckle couplers are attached to swinging draft gear which allows the car to negotiate extremely sharp curves. Unless you are running on trolley-style trackage, body mounting Kadee #78's looks like an easy and recommended modification.

While the paint is applied evenly with crisp separation, the printing is fuzzy and not up to current standards.

Rutland modlers will note that this car is very close to RUT #25 and can serve as a starting point for other RUT vans. The model also matches those used on the St. J&LC.

Overall this is a welcome prototype, but the execution of the model falls short of others in its price range. It is comperable to a $20 Walthers car, not a $40 Kadee car. Train set and freelance modelers should find no objections other than the price.

For prototype modelers be preapred to do some work to bring them up to speed. At minimum you'll want to modify all metal grabs, replace the window glazing, replace the trucks, body mount scale draft gear/couplers and reletter the model. At their high starting price, you are looking a $60 a car by the time these improvements are made. However, you can do these in a quarter of the time it takes to assemble a resin kit, and even at $60 you can build 7 of them for the price of two brass cabooses.

Rob Davis