If this topic has been recently descussed and beaten to a pulp, as I imagine it could be, I apologize! I am not currently active in Model Railroading and have gone back to building and flying R/C Airplanes.
With the aquisition of Athearn and MDC Roundhouse by Horizon Hobbies, I was wondering if both of these lines are still being offered as kits? Horizon Hobbies is one of the hobby giants! However, at least in R/C, they are not a provider of any kits, only Almost Ready to Fly (ARFs) or Ready to Fly (RTFs)airplanes.
As a matter of interest for myself, I would be interested in comments on the availability of kits of all kinds in this hobby.
Thanks for your time!
It’s pretty much the same with the trains. Very few kits, lots of ready to run. I know that with the N scale stuff they have been improving the quality of an already good product, so that’s a good thing.
There was a thread on this a little while ago, but I don’t know where it went.
Gotta love the upgrade on the RS3 as far as the handrails are concerned[^]
Swwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttttttttttt!
I’m gonna see if they will fit my pre-merger RS3. The originals were toooo fragile[V]
I v ery much liked the MDC freight car kits, especially the hoppers.
I’ve often had trouble with the Athearn plastic underframes to the point where I stopped buying them. Other than filing off a few burs, I’ve had ZERO problems with the metal underframes that came in the MDC kits of just a few years ago. I hope that they’re still being produced as well.
Athearn is still making kits in the blue box line. I dont know if they are still making MDC kits. the problem is that most hobby stores are not carrying the kits as much as they used to. seems like the RTR is selling better.
My understanding, which may be wrong, is that some of the MDC kits live on, but are either already coming out in Athearn BB, or will be. The Roundhouse brand name seems to only be being used on early Ready to Run models. I think the cut off may be WW2. Prewar being Roundhouse http://www.roundhousetrains.com/
Athearn makes plenty of kits in their Blue Box line, and they are making models under the Roundhouse name, not sure if they do any Roundhouse kits, though.
There doesn’t seem to be any truss rod kits being made - just RTR. Later era kits I think are part of the Athearn line.
Enjoy
Paul
My LHS owner told me yesteday that his most recent shipment of Athearn car kits included some Roundhouse-designed kits in Athearn boxes. I didn’t follow this up, but someone looking for specific Roundhouse kits might want to look into it.
Roundhouse’s modern (post WWII) line is being released under the Athearn name, both as BB kits and RTR. The pre WWII stuff is still being made under the Roundhouse name, but so far it’s only RTR.
Nick
How about other kit availability? Accurail, LLP2k, Intermountain, Red Caboose, Branchline etc. Are any of these still only kits. I believe Life Like no longer produces there P2K rolling stock anymore.
I was seeing the handwritting on the wall over the last few years. It truly saddens me that kits seem to be disappearing!
I still see P2K rolling stock at my LHS. Very nice looking freight cars.
At some time in the recent past I read either in the forum or MR that someone asked the manufactuer about the future of BB’s and was told they would be made as long as people would purchase them. I just wi***he 50 footers would fit back in their boxes when you put the couplers on them. I have a few that do have the longer boxes. Phil
Itseems Horizon thinks it’s more protifable to " kitbash" some $6.95 kits & charge $14.–$20.0 for the RTR version. Horizon won’t sell to anyone that doesn’t have a brick & mortar store, so you won’t see any new kits at train shows. they also require a yearly minimum purchase which is too much for small hobby shops. We still have accurail as a low cost alternative. Great kit for the price. Bowser also makes some great kits, The wagon top boxcar is great.
Yes they come in train kits size HO scale. So if you have a HO layout you can buy kits from both manufactuers.