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Top Ten Fine Scale Miniatures Kits

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Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, May 28, 2023 9:32 AM

If you you're not a fan of clutter or dilapidation, the two FSM kits that still show well are my two favorites- "The Depot" and "The Signal Tower:"

https://www.trainz.com/products/fine-scale-miniatures-110-ho-scale-the-depot-building-kit

https://brasstrains.com/Classic/Product/Detail/106102/HO-1-87-FSM-30-Craftsman-Signal-Tower-2-5-x-5-Structure-Nicely-Built

 

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, May 28, 2023 10:10 AM

MidlandPacific
If you you're not a fan of clutter or dilapidation, the two FSM kits that still show well are my two favorites- "The Depot" and "The Signal Tower:"

Thank you for the response. Is one of those your favorite FSM kit?

Her are pictures of #110 The Depot and #30 The Signal Tower:

I think too many people think that FSM kits are cluttered more than they actually are. I think the first "big clutter kit" was Ezra Cooper's Garage. It was just a box of sticks and heavy box of castings.

-Photographs by Kevin Parson

Unfortunately the detail castings in this kit were repetitive, and did not include details that were approriate for an actual garage.

The most cluttered of any FSM kit was Chippy Hollow Hardware. Basically and small cast metal building, some sticks, and a ton of random castings. I think this is one of the kits people think of when considering FSM models, and not all the beautiful reallistic kits they made.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by MidlandPacific on Sunday, May 28, 2023 11:44 AM

I would say one of the two is.  I really like two story stations, but I also like interlocking.  If most model railroaders are imaginary engineers, I suppose I would say I am an imaginary block operator.  

http://mprailway.blogspot.com

"The first transition era - wood to steel!"

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, May 29, 2023 7:28 AM

I only own two of the kits in my own top ten list.

Of the ten kits I own, here is how I ranked them:

1: 195 Barnstead Lumber Company 1981

2: 190 R. Schramm Manufacturing 1980

11: 180 Sand House 1979

15: 115 Coal And Sand Shed 1973

19: 205 Wilfred J. Brambell Company 1982

24: 160 Logging Repair Shed 1977

58: 130 Ezra Cooper's Garage 1974

61: 150 Old Time Freight House 1976

65: 155 Coal Dock 1976

66: 035 Two Stall Enginehouse 1968

It seems I need to rethink my list. The Old Time Freight Shed should not be below Ezra Cooper's Garage.

-Kevin

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Posted by rrebell on Monday, May 29, 2023 8:28 AM

drgwcs

I have always thought that a great deal of the attraction to the FSM kits was the huge amounts of detail parts included, all unique. In 2018 after FSM had closed George Sellios had licensed a company named railroad kits to make the detail castings provided they did not make the kits. I had bought  a few at the National Narrow Gauge convention in 2020. Not sure of address and it does not appear they have a working website. 

Jim

 

No, the guy who bought the company from Sellios for Railroad Kits was Jimmy and he bought the buisness and last I heard still sells the detail parts sepeately. Haven't talked to him in years since he sold his forum site. As far as cost of FSM kits, I have paid as little as $20 for one and another at $35, never paid more than $100 and you bought them for the step by step instructions and the castings. For one of the staions FSM made, the castings alone would set you back more than $100. There was at least one person out there that built them not run down. The train route thru silicon valley has many train stations that date from the 1890's and are still in use but ussually not for the railroad. The one in Burlingame did dot close untill 2004 for ticket sales and that one was built in 1894.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, June 2, 2023 2:08 PM

rrebell
No, the guy who bought the company from Sellios for Railroad Kits was Jimmy and he bought the buisness and last I heard still sells the detail parts sepeately.

A man named Bill owns RailroadKits now. This is the company that sells the Fine Scale Miniatures castings seperately.

He also owns Microlumina.

I have his contact information if you need it.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, June 2, 2023 4:23 PM

I have none of the kits, but I have visited the Franklin and South Manchester railroad model that was built by George Selios.  It's everything everyone says it is.  It's a perfect stage for his highly detailed models.  Beautiful work.  I spent hours just looking at it.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, June 2, 2023 6:38 PM

MisterBeasley
I have visited the Franklin and South Manchester railroad model that was built by George Selios.  It's everything everyone says it is. 

That must have been wonderful.

I doubt I will ever see it. It is looking less and less like I will ever make that planned trip to the Northeast.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 11:28 AM

Watch out for deals that look too good to be true.

This looks like a good price and a great kit, but...

The kit is missing the main building, some detail parts, and the instructions. It also has some parts from other kits mixed in.

The description in the auction states: 

"This item's Condition is Used: Model kit was bought in a collection; it is complete with moderate shelf wear."

This is misleading and completely innacurate. Someone who does not know what should be in this kit might be fooled.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, June 17, 2023 11:30 AM

Somebody bought the kit above. I hope they inspect it and return it. There is no excuse for marketing that kit as complete.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

Some of the Fine Scale detail castings are a bit weird.

I am not sure about that anvil up there on that wooden shelf. I don't think that is safe at all.

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

Also, some of the barrel stacks don't look quite right.

-Kevi

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Posted by John-NYBW on Saturday, June 17, 2023 2:01 PM

SeeYou190

Somebody bought the kit above. I hope they inspect it and return it. There is no excuse for marketing that kit as complete.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

Some of the Fine Scale detail castings are a bit weird.

I am not sure about that anvil up there on that wooden shelf. I don't think that is safe at all.

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

Also, some of the barrel stacks don't look quite right.

-Kevi

 

I've got a similar collection of castings from my Roadside Delights kit and a South River kit. I've thrown them all in a drawer and occasionally find them to be quite useful. I'm a bit of a packrat in that I never throw anything out that I think might be useful someday. 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, August 5, 2023 8:29 AM

A couple of Fine Scale Miniatures classic structures just got listed for a low opening bid.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by billslake on Sunday, August 13, 2023 7:55 PM

Over the years I've bought a number of FSM kits ... never at full price, and usually at train shows.  Even then, they were more expensive than most other kits.  But ... the time I spent trying to make the disparate pieces into a presentable model was well worth what I did pay.  Shake the box they aren't ... and for that I'm glad.

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Posted by maxman on Sunday, August 13, 2023 10:59 PM

SeeYou190

A couple of Fine Scale Miniatures classic structures just got listed for a low opening bid.

-Kevin

 

Did you happen to go back and see what these eventually sold for?

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  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, August 13, 2023 11:39 PM

maxman
Did you happen to go back and see what these eventually sold for?

They went for very low prices.

The prices for these kits is easily in reach now.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by maxman on Monday, August 14, 2023 4:33 PM

Thanks.  Always curious as to the final outcome.

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 12:14 AM

The kit called Sand House is one of the better bargains to grab.

It is poorly named. It is actually a tool shed, sand house, and bucket coaling station all in one box.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by John-NYBW on Sunday, August 27, 2023 12:15 PM

SeeYou190

The kit called Sand House is one of the better bargains to grab.

It is poorly named. It is actually a tool shed, sand house, and bucket coaling station all in one box.

-Kevin

 
I didn't win this auction but I got the same kit at a Buy it Now price for only about $15 more than the auction price. Had I continued to bid on the auction, I might have driven up the price that much anyway. It is going to be perfect for the engine terminal at the end of my short line.
It will have a short turntable, and the FSM version of John Allen's engine house. I don't have a lot of space on the lead to the turntable and when I discovered it had a coal bucket loader and a tool shed, I knew it would be perfect for this space. I just received it and am looking forward to building it. 
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  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, August 27, 2023 9:07 PM

John-NYBW
I just received it and am looking forward to building it. 

I am really looking forward to building mine too.

Right now, I am seriously in anticipation of getting the hobby workbench back into operation again.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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