Reply from Accurail

[RedGrey62]

All, in response to an earlier thread, I emailed Accurail about their future releases along with th UP and absorbed roads questions. Here is their reply.
[:)][:)][:)]
Rick Keil

OBTW, I model the CB&Q and he was nice enough to let me know about an upcoming release.

Dear Mr. Keil,
First, thank you for your kind words about our kits. It's very much
appreciated.
And second, you'll be happy to know that we have every intention of
continuing to produce kits, as we feel that building kits is part of the
fun of model railroading.
We've only done one RTR project, and that was for a limited number of our
open autoracks, which is our most complicated kit.
Our brand new body style, just about to be released (the 70-ton triple
hopper) is also to be in kit form. We've actually had a couple of ads (I
think in MR, but I'd have to check to be sure) advertising that kits are
part of the fun, and that we're committed to continuing to make them available.
Even if we do another RTR project here or there, they'll be few and far
between, and kits WILL continue to be the main focus for us.

Thank you again, and I'll also forward your email to the big boss so he'll
know that his decision to keep going with kits is appreciated.

Eric Cote
Plant Manager/Artwork
Accurail


Sorry about the second email, but I forgot to address the road name concern
you had as well.
While we've dropped UP from our new production, it appears that we're (at
least for the moment) still able to do predecessor RRs.
Because it's a legal and quite fluid situation, I don't know if or how long
it will stay that way, but I certainly hope that we'll continue to be able
to do new releases of absorbed roads. Looking at our schedule, we have a
new CB&Q hopper planned for August, #7510 70-ton triple hopper. Because
it's new tooling, I'm not sure if it'll be released on time/during that
month, but it's still on our schedule.

Hope that helps.
Eric Cote
Accurail

[cacole]

I certainly hope Accurail continues to make kits of fallen flags. I think their kits are some of the best on the market today, as far as the cleanness of their castings and the way the parts fit together so well. My only gripe with them in the past has been that stupid plastic pin they use to hold the trucks in place instead of providing a screw.

[tstage]

cacole,

I agree. Those beveled truck inserts are a nuisance and no where near as good as the screws at holding the trucks in place. Thankfully, I've only run across them on occasion. I've made it a habit to keep extra 5/16 long 2-56 screws in my spare parts box just for such an occasion.

Tom

[ericsp]

The latest ACF Center-flow Hopper made by Accurail that I bought had screws to hold the trucks and coupler pocket covers in place.

[trolleyboy]

I have to say that it's nice to see such open and honest answers from a manufacturer.I do agree theirs are some of the nicest kits out on the market,it's good to know that they have every intention of keeping them on the market.

[twhite]

Bravo to Accurail for that fine answer to your e-mails. I'm quite fond of their cars, especially since they have such a fine selection of mid-to-late steam era cars that are really not to be found from other manufacturers. I like their detail (their wooden cars are incredible!), and I like their 'solidity'. They 'feel' good on the track, and with metal wheelsets, they roll like a dream. I hope that they can continue to produce their 'fallen flags' without any further legal problems from Guess Who.
Tom [:D][^]

[Fergmiester]

This is good news. I started to go with Accurail once the Athearn BB's dried up and can say that I'm very happy with Accurail as their detailing is very good. The fact that they also provide detail only rolling stocking is also a great thing as I can add decals of my own and not worry about not having the right data decals.

Fergie

[Anonymous]

I agree! The Accurail kits are detailed enough to look realistic (apart from close scrutiny) and yet rugged enough to be handled if (like me) you have to remove and replace cars from the layout after each session (storage tracks). I automatically replace the truck pins with self-tapping screws. I have a ton of those plastic pins "just in case" (just in case of what?). The wooden box cars are indeed excellent in apprearance. My "other" favorite car kit type is the Bowser covered hoppers--much better than their box cars. None of these kits is cost prohibitive, thankfully.

[rrinker]

The pins are long gone. I have 9 Accurail hopper kits and each and every one of them came with Accumate couplers (stuffed into my spare parts box and replaced with couplers that actually WORK), and screw for both the trucks and coupler box lids. The old pins are still in the kit as well, the apparantly didn't change the mold since it has other parts on it as well, but they also go in my scrap box.

--Randy

[Anonymous]

Honesty and Integrity. Two reasons I've dealt with Accurail. Specifically Eric Cote. When I ordered a big bunch of coal cars and then made a second order of coal loads, Eric was on the case and called me. He combined the orders which I was to dumb to do, and saved me $12 on shipping. The thing I like about this service (besides saving twelve bucks) was that it wasn't asked for. On top of great service like that they make a nice, reasonably priced product.

[2c] worth,
Trevor

[Bob Hayes]

Something else I've found that I like; in several of the kits I've recently purchased is a slip indicating that if I enclose $3.00 & send it to them, they will send me decals with 12 new numbers printed on the correct backgrouind color of the car. For example, if you buy 3 sets of 42049, BNSF 3-bay covered hopper 6-pack, and you get the decals, you can end up with 18 cars with different road numbers. This also seems to be available for the cars which they have not produced 6-packs. All in all, seems to be a great company. I'm looking forward to the 70T hoppers. Just wi***hey would do 12-packs of the SP or C&NW cars in addition to the N&W.
Bob Hayes

[rrinker]

Yup! This is why I am on the lookout for more Reading and B&O hoppers. I can send in and get he decal sets - and according to what the slip says, the decals are printed on the same color as the car paint, so apparantly you don't have to remove the old numbers, just decal over them.
I'll be able to have 21 Accurail Reading hoppers - 18 numbers from Accurail plus I have the three custom numbers done for the ARHS.

--Randy