To all model railroaders: As a suggestion when modeling with Athearn Blue Box kits do the following to turn the ordinary into outstanding. 1) Cut off those ugly door lugs on the bottom of the doors. Glue the doors in the open or closed position to prevent them from falling off. A pet peeve with me is to view a finely detailed layout and the modeler has those lugs popping out in the photo! 2) Install better running boards, such as Tich Train Group (fornerly Creative Modeling Assoc.) brand. Install .015 brass roof grabs there, as well. 3) I know it is not normally visible, but intall .015 brass wire brake line systems to the underside. 4) Weather the car, including the trucks and wheels, at least a little. Make the weathering appropiate to the commodity carried and the area of the country the car most likely travels. 4) Install metal wheels and weight to the car for better tracking. 5) Get rid of the plastic shine by applying dull coat. These suggestions apply to all forms of rollng stock as well. If you take the time to do these things, not only will you find great satisfaction, but others will notice. O, by the way, other inexpensive kits, such as Varney, can be vastly improved by applying these suggestions.
you make some valid points and on occasion, i do upgrade some equipment on my model railroad for my own satisfaction.
but, since i sold my business and retired, doing anything just so someone else will like it has not been my style.
it is not that i am incapable of doing fine detail work. heck, i once made an orange crate out of a coffee table.
why not post some photos and show us some examples of your work?
grizlump
All that work on a BB kit and you might as well do the grab irons and stirrup steps too.
Good points. I never thought about cutting the door lugs off. Maybe i will have a look at that.
grizlump9: I have been posting my work on my public Facebook page. Type in search- Layout Concepts. Let me know if access is easy for you. Yours, The Ferroequinologist
D94R: I don’t usually redo grabs unless I am repainting & relettering a car . I have replaced the stirrups on many of my cars with brass wire, especially if one or two have been broken off. Yours The Ferroequinologist
Cutting off those door “claws” is a good start, but you could also alter the upper door track and lower the bottom one. You can then use a taller replacement door, or cut and splice using extra Athearn doors. This one got Front Range/McKean doors (also new Tichy ends and its roof lowered by 6"):
The same upgrades can be made to these old Train Miniature cars (now Walthers):
…making them look almost as good as the ones from Red Caboose:
And you’re also correct about Varney cars - here’s two of mine:
Even higher quality (and higher priced) cars, such as those from Red Caboose, can be improved with some additional work:
Wayne