Several years ago I remember many lamented the possible loss of the “Blue Box” kits by Athearn. And how there weren’t going to be many “Real kits” if any left on the market for us to build. Well a couple of years ago my dear wife bought me the 120 Ton Wrecking Crane and Boom Car kits by Tichy Train Group. I finally got around to building it (while at sea) back in October last year. So impressed by these kits I bought 2 Pulpwood kits by the same company.Excellent detail, well made, lots and lots of parts and that go together without filing and re-working (good fit).
I’ve also built the Jordan Steam Shovel and Crane kits by Highway Miniatures, though a bit more challenging and intricate I find these kits to be as enjoyable.
Tons of the old blue box and similar “shake the box” kits, including some where I added additional detail (train air line, replaced the molded stirrup steps with Grandt Line - I think - backdated from AB brakes to K brakes, added cut levers, etc.). I also built a few of the Proto kits - not nearly as easy as the Blue-Box type, and have a LOT more to go. A few are the Timesaver variety, but I prefer the more time consuming versions that aren’t half built.
I’ve built a few LaBelle wooden kits (HOn3) also.
I have a few Tichy kits, but have only looked at the contents of the kits. I’m a bit intimidated by them, truth be told! But someday soon…
There are still lots of kits out there to be had, despite the current popularity of RTR.
My rolling stock fleet consists of everything from RTR to craftsman kits.
The kits include both older kits from as far back as the 50’s, as well as kits currently or recently produced. For me recently means the last 10 years or so, having been at this for over 40 years now.
Those kits include models from the following companies:
Athearn - including many of their original metal kits
Accurail
Globe - wood and metal kits
Silver Streak - wood and metal kits
Roundhouse
Proto2000
Branchline
Tichy
Funaro & Camerlengo - resin kits
Quality Craft Models - wood kits
Bowser
Intermountain
Train Miniature
Walthers - yes they made all sorts of kits for many years
I’m sure I missed a few, but many of these brands of kits are still available or can be found on the secondary market for those interested in building kits.
I have a list of manufacturers who produce HO Model Railroad Freight and Passenger Car Kits and would post it here if you would like. This list was created by the people who contribute to this forum. Personally, I love Accurail kits, Atlas Trainman kits and Atlas Branchline kits. If I feel like a little more challanging project, then an wood American Model Builders Laser Kit N.P. Caboose; or, some other manufacturers wood freight; or, passenger car kits are fun. And yes, Tichy Train Groups kits have many small nice details; but, aren’t really any more difficult to build than P2K kits.
Eventually the supply of Athearn Blue Box kits will peter out. Yes, they can be found on Ebay and at train-shows. However, if your looking for a particular car, this can be a challenge. Also available at the same sources are Proto 2000, Intermountain, Branchline, Red Caboose and more kits from producers who no longer manufacture kits.
I like building kits, that is my true enjoyment in this hobby.
I have a real hodge-podge of kits on my layout from the following manufacturers:
Accurail
Alexander Scale Models (wood craftsman)
American Model Builders
Athearn
Blair Line
Bowser
Branchline
Intermountain
Jordan
MDC
Proto 2000
Red Caboose
Suncoast Models (wood/plastic craftsman)
Sylvan
Tichy
Walthers
I have some F&C, Waterlevel Models (styrene), and Gloor Craft (wood) kits that I still need to work on. The later two will yield me a whole slew of NYC cabooses once I complete them.
I ordered a few of the “rib-side cars” from that small ad in the back pages of MR. These are a model very specific to the Milwaukee Road, but a number of different cars are available, and a few different logos as well. A nice feature about the kits is the inclusion of decals, rather than printed car numbers, so you can avoid duplication. They even include a numbering guide so you can match cars, date, number sequence and roofwalk type properly. There are a few “tweezer details” but overall the cars aren’t difficult.
I’m happy with the Accurail boxcars I’ve been picking up, too. These are more like blue-box kits, but the models come out nicely and they’re a good value for the price.
Right now, I’m putting together 3 “idler flats” for carfloat operations. I chose Tichy for these. I think the kits were only about $9 each. For this, you get hours of “play value” before you even put the cars on your tracks. Every one of the 24 stake pockets on the car sides must be individually applied, and that’s definitly tweezer work. There’s a lot of small parts, including wires that must be cut and bent to shape, for the brake components beneath the cars, too. I’m enjoying the project, and the results so far are good. Maybe no one else will ever see all those brake lines, but I’ll know they’re there.
Are we talking about rolling stock, structures, both?
As far as rolling stock is concerned, what is the objection to RTR?
As far as structures go, while there is such a thing as a “built up” structure, almost every structure on my layout has been built from a “kit”, at least as I would define kit.
I don’t know what the OP was thinking, but since he referred to a rolling stock kit, I took his question to mean rolling stock kits.
I have nothing against RTR, I buy some of it. BUT, in many cases - not all but many - RTR is more expensive.
Second, for me, I like to build models just as much as I like to run trains, be it rolling stock or structures.
Third, I freelance so I paint and letter stuff for the ATLANTIC CENTRAL. That is best done by starting with an undecorated kit - be it a simple kit, craftsman kit, or in between. About 20% of my rolling stock is ATLANTIC CENTRAL - basically all from kits.
In the case of most of the current RTR models, if you buy the undecorated version it is a kit - but costs the same as the RTR version. That’s fine, many of these models are very nicely detailed and go together well.
I guess I could ask the question “what is the objection to rolling stock kits?”
Another point, kits are perfect starting points for modifying cars into stuff not available in kit or RTR.
I have only purchased one RTR car…a Centralia Union Pacific caboose. It was assembled terribly with glue spots and the roofwalk was not applied properly and was bent. What a waste of $40. I decided at that moment, no RTR for me. Fortunately, there is not a single car that I can’t do without.
Thumbs up to American companies like Tichy! They keep me interested in modeling, not just buying a China built car and placing it on the track. What is the fun in that?
Since I’ve built BB and MDC car kits for years I lost my interest since the RTR cars hit the shelves however,when I do get the urge to build a kit I perfer building a Athearn,Accurail or MDC kit…The Atlas/Trainman cars doesn’t fit my two eras…
As a passing thought if I ever decide to back date my modeling era then I plan on using the Trainman and Accurail kits.
I model in N-Scale and to my knowledge there is not much available. Roundhouse had some kits about 10 or 15 years ago but they are not manufactured now(?). I have a couple of old time passenger cars made by Roundhouse. RTR is fine by me. I have not had any problems with N-Scale RTR other than maybe tweeking the wheels.
The ‘kits’ I like are Tichy, Atlas/Branchline and Intermountain - All very nice kits that assemble nicely. For folks that are looking for ‘shake the box’ Athearn replacements, the Bowser and Accurail kits are quite nice.
I still have a number of Athearn ‘BB’ kits; most were custom painted and have had the couplers ‘bolted on’ and the wheels replaced with I-M wheel sets. I also add between 1/2 to 3/4 oz of weight to bring them up to NMRA specs. With some painting of the trucks/under frame, and modest weathering - They are good ‘layout’ freight cars. They can be handled during an operating session, and do not leave a trail of ‘parts’ along the r-o-w like so many of my more expensive/well detailed cars.
My outlook is the same as Larry [BRAKIE], just about every freight car I owned in my past mrr life was built from a kit. Nowadays since I have more money than free time, I’ll buy discounted quality RTR rolling stock if available. One exception is anything I need in quantity, like 89ft piggyback flatcars. I recently bought and built a fleet of these using 3-pack Accurail kits, they were quite easy to assemble. Also, some cars I need are only available in kit form - like 70-ton offset-side 3-bay open hoppers from Bowser. Luckily they, too, are easily assembled.
One car type I will buy only in RTR from now on is the tank car - I botched every one of those I tried to build from kits!
That’s very interesting - because, if you ask me what is harder to build, a rolling stock kit or a structure kit, I would say a structure kit is generally harder or requires more skill - relative to type of kit.
In other words, a Campbell structure vs a LaBelle or other wood kit rolling stock - the Campbell kit is likely more involved and will take longer.
Same is true comparing plastic structures to plastic rolling stock in most cases.
Now me, I simply like to build stuff. Structures, rolling stock, bridges, you name it.
I don’t however scratch build unless it is necessary to get what I want.
I also do a fair amount of loco “kit bashing” to mostly RTR locos these days as there really are not any kits to speak of anymore. But I build lots of diesel locos who’s shells are kits - again because of the undecorated thing - Highliner F units, Intermountain F units, undecorated Proto2000, etc.
That’s interesting, Rich. I personally make no distinction between rolling stock and structure kits. Given a preference? Kits hands down - EVERY time.
Rich, I’m going to surmise that you like structure kits because you can kitbash and detail them MUCH more readily than you can rolling stock kits. Your leeway with rolling stock is much more limited. It’s not like you can change a shingled roof for a rolled roof on the boxcar.
Of course sometimes the only way to acquire are certain prototype car is to build a kit! And some kits like this one is essentially a kit-bash in a box.
This is the contents of an Eastern Car Works 3500CF GATC Dryflow Covered Hopper, a very rare care that has few photographs of the prototype car. You wil note that you get esentially two GATC Airslide Kits with a new roof and floor that require a bit of kitbashing which is made all the more difficult by the warped sides on the Airslide sides.
Here are the sides after they are cut and glued together.
