I model the period of 1969-72, during which all the 89ft auto racks were open. Currently I have to run them all as empties, because of the prohibitively high [for me anyway] cost of individual 1:87 scale automobiles. Example: To fully load 3 triple-decker auto racks, I would need ~45 scale autos (5 on each deck). At $10-$15 apiece, it would cost around $500 to obtain these vehicles.
Is there a possibly cheaper way to do this? I don’t need clear windows and detailed interiors, just something that looks believable from a three-foot viewing distance, like the old Magnuson solid-cast models of the early 1990’s.
Can’t help you with the autos. But I’m sure you realize that you will no longer be modeling a period, but you will be modeling a specific year once you put those cars in.
Have you thought of casting your own? I’ve made latex molds of a number of items and then cast copies in Hydrocal. As an example, the sign with the beaver on it to the left of this picture is a casting I made from my college class ring:
Woodland Scenics makes the liquid latex rubber. You paint it on and then wait for it to dry, and repeat a few times to build up some thickness. I’ve got a few of these home-made molds that I’ve used many times.
Be careful, though, of weight. If you use metal, the loaded auto racks will be extremely heavy. Hydrocal isn’t that bad, but a lightweight plastic or foam material might be better.
I don’t know how to do it myself, but I think it should be possible to photoshop some car models onto a backing suitably sized to fit in the cars and be placed along the inside of the rack side bracing. Of course you’d still need some solid models for the top deck, but that would reduce the number of vehicles necessary.
Well, what if you put more detailed models on the top deck (probably die-cast), and cheaper plastic ones (like Lifelike - probably need to repaint those) on the lower, more hidden decks?
In general, the vehicles on each autorack should be from the same manufacturer, particularly if you’re modeling the early 1970s. If your running them together, the likelyhood would be all three autoracks would contain vehicles from the same manufacturer (now you really could use those 1.98 WalMart MotorArt specials from several years ago…)
Also, as Maxman pointed out, technically you do get tied down to a specific year, but I suppose a bit of handwaving here won’t hurt too much (“Oh, that’s a 1971, not a 1970”).
As an aside, the Tyco AMX and Camaros were actually very good models for their time (except the dang blue windshields), designed to fill up their open autoracks - but both models were unlikely to be loaded on the same autorack (particularly since IIRC the Camaro was a 1967 and the AMX a 1968).
The Lifelike ones, well someone on the 1/87 was able to do a good repaint on the (1970s Lincoln I believe), but the boxier mid-1970s vehicles, relegate them to the lower decks. The Pickups are OK, but still mid-1970s I think.
Bachmann offers a set of automobiles sufficiently generic in nature that they would not tend to nail an era down other than 1964 to 1970 or so. They are very ugly colors and need repainting but if painted nicely might “do” for your purposes.
I’ve seen resin-cast duplication before; doesn’t that require a certain level of skill to make the models turn out properly? Maybe a google search on that topic is in order…
I was considering that as a ‘last resort’ solution. I sure wish they made those sets available in all of one body type, instead of a mix like the ones in the link.
Thanks for all the replies so far, keep 'em coming![:D]
I suggest make a mold of one car you like "Micromark sells a mold making set for 40 dollars), and pour them. I have made a couple hydrocal “junkyard specials” for my scrapyard. Of Course as said above you are probably better off using a plastic pour, and putting them on the lower levels.
You can give these guys a shout, they used sell clear plastic cars and trucks that you painted your colors, they were kits, but only about 8 to ten pieces to glue on each one, they sold them in three packs of the same vehicle. I still have three in a pack, not built yet, of a 56 Ford Crown Victoria, they have 70’s cars also. a lot cheaper than a single one at todays price’s:
At the time (when Accurail first released thes cars, '99? 2000?) about all that was available that looked decent were die cast CMWs I jumped in and bought 15… (only the two colors available at the time!)
I put the Kato trucks on that had the rotating cap roller bearings. After an evening of running I heard some crunching noise, it was the wheels of this car rubbing the floor! The axles had cut through the truck sideframe. The car weighs 20.8 oz.!!! Whatever you use, watch out for the weight. If you put diecast on the top tier you’re going to have a pretty high center of gravity there.
I put new trucks under the car and only run it on special moves. The Life-Like cars are lightweight but look pretty simple. Busch and a couple of the European makers have some styrene models that are featherweight BUT they cost even more that the CMWs.
Basically I have a shelf queen. Maybe someone here will come up with something lightweight AND economical…
Resin casting looks like the best candidate for making these models. The price of the kit on MicroMark’s web site is $100 and includes all the silicone, modeling clay, mold release etc. plus 2 lbs of casting resin. I’d probably need more resin than that to make all 45 duplicates.
I’m trying to keep the prorated unit cost under $3 per vehicle.
Looks like we replied at the same time. The ones that I suggested,that would not happen, even lighter than any resin casting, they are hollow. With interiors.
I don’t know your level of skill on this casting process, but I think it is the best method for you. If you make a rubber mold of the outside of the car and then fill the inside of the plastic model (while still in the mold) with some modelling clay to make the wall thickness a little heavier, then pour the second half of the rubber mold. When you remove all of the original model and the clay, you wlll have a hollow casting with slightly heavier walls. When you cast the duplicates they won’t be so heavy. I worked in a professional model shop in NY many years ago and learned a lot of ‘tricks’ to molding things. I realize this is not the simplest thing to undertake, but it is very doable. Like I said, I don’t know your modelling skills so I can’t say that you should try it. Just trying to give you another choice here. Good luck.
Actually those are the very vehicles I mentioned in my post above, except I thought they were LifeLike, not Bachmann. Oops. They were indeed designed for filling up model autoracks (as well as model layout streets), they have no interior and rather poor paint jobs. However, the late '60s Cadillac (the white one in the Walthers link) cleans up real nicely as a 1967 Cadillac El Dorado (the square vehicles are more reminiscent of late 1970s era boxy styling, and don’t seem to have an exact prototype).
There was an article in Model Railroad News in which the author had determined that the only models available that were affordable, well detailed and period-appropriate for such a project were the Motormax Fresh Cherries Pinto, Pacer and something else- Escort, maybe. At the time, Walmart was selling them for under two dollars each. As soon as the model railroaders found out, they got cleaned out. Maybe we could get the manufacturer to release these in sets of 15?
I believe the Tyco Camaro (SS) are 1967s - they have front quarter windows (“vent windows”) found on the stock Tyco models. The AMXs, well I think they are 1969s, but I can’t recall - did they have the model year molded into the license plate? You do need to fill the lower quarter panels (which are molded a bit recessed) do some trimming, and add new windshield, tires, interior, and paint, but they actually rather nice models, reasonably accurate.
