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RTR vs. Kits

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43 replies
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  • Member since
    October 2003
  • From: Southern Minnesota now
  • 956 posts
Posted by Hawks05 on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 8:52 PM
just starting its easier to get RTR stuff but now that i have a lot of RTR stuff i bought a few kits to try and build. hopefully i can do it. i need to get glue and stuff yet this weekend hopefully.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 8:20 PM
I forgot that in rollingstock kits you only had to asemble the trucks and the sides of the car and snapping the chasis together. I may try one, how hard could it be? But loco kits, there's another story..........
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 8:19 PM
Kits....Kitbashing...or Scratchbuilding ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 8:02 PM
Kits all the way!

ive never bought a car or a loco, but im only going to use kits as it makes the whole project more mine....and as my goal is to make a totally custom railroad, kits offer the most customization.....why pay 10-20 bucks for ready to roll when im just going to strip it down repaint it and use custom decals anyway? I can buy 4 kit cars for the price of 1 RTR at my LHS

I cant wait til i can start buying them wooT! (gotta pay first months bills) so january i assume)
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: US
  • 736 posts
Posted by tomwatkins on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 8:00 PM
I definitely prefer kits. I enjoy model building and like detailing locomotives and cars to more closely resemble the prototypes they represent.

Tom Watkins
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 7:46 PM
[:)]Outta the box and onto the track--that's the way I like 'em! I wouldn' be adverse to trying my luck with a kit in the future, though. It could be fun. My skill level at the moment however doesn't inspire me to tackle kits at this time.
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: CA
  • 245 posts
help
Posted by bruce22 on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 7:29 PM
kit's for me until these old eyes and a steady hand give out.
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Whitby, ON
  • 2,594 posts
Posted by CP5415 on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 7:21 PM
Even thought I have bought RTR & will probably continue to do so, I prefer the kits as they are cheaper.

Gordon

Brought to you by the letters C.P.R. as well as D&H!

 K1a - all the way

  • Member since
    October 2001
  • From: OH
  • 17,574 posts
Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 7:13 PM
I could not vote as I buy both the kits and RTR in order for me to fill out my freight car roster..I do like the RTR cars though..

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: North Central Illinois
  • 1,458 posts
Posted by CBQ_Guy on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 6:54 PM
Well I prefer both, in a way, actually. I prefer the kits because they cost much less and I like assembling them sometimes.

I prefer the RTR because, they're, uh, ready to run! But for what they cost, I don't have too many.
"Paul [Kossart] - The CB&Q Guy" [In Illinois] ~ Modeling the CB&Q and its fictional 'Illiniwek River-Subdivision-Branch Line' in the 1960's. ~
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Along the Murphy Branch
  • 1,410 posts
Posted by dave9999 on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 6:48 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

I like RTR's. Kits (for me anyway) are too complicated. [|)]


The kits are usually no more complicated than installing the trucks,a few
details and snapping the body and chassis together. When did the "model"
in modelrailroad disappear? If assembling a boxcar has become too
complicated for todays "modeler" whats next? Do we have someone else
build our layouts, lay our track, run our trains? I've read numerous post
on this forum about RTR and everyone is either complaining about the
quality or just don't want pay the price for them. Well I say buy kits and assemble
them.Remember that model railroading is about crafting and skill. Not
about taking a car out of the box and running it around the track. Our laziness
is why manufacturers make RTR and why they can charge twenty bucks
for them!!! Dave
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: California
  • 263 posts
Posted by EL PARRo on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 6:34 PM
I prefer rtr, but I don't mind assembling kits. I usually buy kits instead of rtr because they're cheaper.
huh?
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Omaha, NE
  • 10,621 posts
Posted by dehusman on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 5:47 PM
I like to kitbash and modify rolling stock to my prototype, its tough with RTR.

Dave H.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Smoggy L.A.
  • 10,743 posts
Posted by vsmith on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 5:45 PM
I would prefer kits, but I'm in Large Scale there is very little to choose from.

   Have fun with your trains

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
RTR vs. Kits
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 2, 2003 5:34 PM
I like RTR's. Kits (for me anyway) are too complicated. [|)]

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