This review is on Hobbytown’s ALCO RSD-4/5 HO scale kit.[:D]
Hobbytown started making these kits around 50 years ago, starting with a metal version, changing to plastic, and then going back to metal. I believe they’re still using the same molds for this one that they used 50 years ago, but the castings are nice and smooth with only a few spots that have flash. This is a kit for advanced builders, so I wouldn’t recommend trying it until you’ve built a few simpler kits, like the steam engines from Bowser or MDC. The only details that aren’t cast onto the body are the brass horns, marker lights and brake wheel. I didn’t put the marker lights on mine, because Penn Central didn’t use them. I think all the railings were cast on on the original version, but now most of the railings are bronze wire wth brass stancions. The end railings are still cast on, and are very thick, so you may want to replace them with wire railings if you don’t like the thickness. The grab irons are cast on, but they look decent enough. I’ve heard that the Hobbytown RS-3/RSD-4/5 body is the only one ever made with the right nose contours, which is pretty good for being older than the Atlas and Athearn versions.[:D] The trucks are a single piece casting, but they look very good except for the brake cylinders, which stick way out and have very little detail. The headlights are completely open, and don’t have any detail or light bulbs inside, but light bulbs can be added very easily if you ever want to them. The kit doesn’t include any couplers, but McHenry extended couplers should fit pretty well with shims in the coupler opening on the pilots.