I just acquired a BLI Light Mikado in the Southern green and my next major purchase will be a BLI J when they are released. I would like to put together passenger consists to run with both. I see tons of ads but don’t know anything about passenger cars at this point. I would like detailed cars that can have lighted interiors and diaphragms. Kits or RTR makes no difference. Availability of multiple car numbers in coaches would be a plus. I’d like recommendations from the group for either acquiring basic cars and detailing or RTR. Also, any brands that you would avoid. Brass is out of my price range at this time. Thanks.
Spectrum and Rivarossi seem to be the best. Spectrums are lighted and well detailed, but they have trouble operation on curves less than 24" radius. The new Rivarossi’s are excellent but require the installation of a lighting kit if you want them to be light.
I saw the post and had to join in. I just got a Kato car that has the metal hook ups for the lighting and has a good interior to boot. On the roof inside there are hook type set up I would presume is for the interior lighting. I am not sure what kit I should get either. So I will be watching intently to learn along with ya. Hope you don’t mind. By the way…Cool locomotive. If I had that kind of cash, I’d get one too. 
Walthers has “Budd” cars with the Southern name. They are very good looking and well designed cars and you can order lighting kits that just slip in place for them. I have five Southern and two more that are undecorated to pull in my Southern consist. http://walthers.com/
Branchline makes a heck of a kit in their Blueprint series Heavyweights that includes Southern roadname. These kits are very detailed and I guess you could light them with modifications. http://www.branchline-trains.com/
REX
Should you consider the Budds they require 24" radius and when you install the light bar, also consider installing sitting people. Who wants to run an empty passenger train?
I have just installing lighting kits in 3 Rivarrosi 60ft. coaches and 2 trainline[walthers] 60ft. coaches.It’s easy enough to do and they light up the interiors nicely.Paint the interiors and add seated figures while you have the shell apart.After the first car,the rest are a piece of cake.[the first would have been just as easy if I would have read the instructions more closely] Thier 85ft. cars should be the same thing…It’s well worth it.
The Walthers streamlined cars are beautiful and the $10 lighting kit goes in easily.
If you want to use them on tight curves, then you would have to take off the factory couplers and install ones with longer shanks.
Once in a while you may hear a little squealing from an axle. Remove the squealing axle and add a tiny dab of grease inside of the journal (a toothpick is good to use). If the car has a lighting kit, use Molybdenum (Molly Magic) as this grease contains crushed graphite which helps conduct electricity.
High Greens!
http://okengines.com/museum.shtml Along with all the other great advise given so far you might want to check these out.I don’t know if you are planning on running streamlined or heavyweight,but these in my opinion are the best streamlined models available.They are made of metal can be polished or painted{look very good polished}most come with a simple 2 wire lighting fixture installs in minutes.They can be found on e-bay at times very cheap.I have a ten car set in both 60 and 85 footers and they are the pride of my passenger fleet.Although none of mine have detailed interiors never really checked to see if they were available.They are exceptionaly well tracking cars probably due to the weight of their all metal costruction. Terry.
Thanks for all of the great feedback. I definitely want to have seated people scattered through the cars. I’ve seen a dining car where the owner had even painted plates and silverware on the tables! It sounds like I can’t go wrong with either Rivarossi or Walthers. The tight curves won’t be an issue, my minimum radius curve is going to be 30". Thanks again. This is a great forum.
Just had a look at the OK products site you mentioned above, Terry. I was very surprised to see that they have not a single picture of any of their rolling stock on view! Seems that you have to buy a catalogue from them or send $20 plus p.p. for a sample of their choice before you know what you are getting. What a weird way to do business!!!
I certainly would not buy anything sight unseen . . .
maybe you should of looked at the catalog request page two page pdf there are pics there,Terry.
For 4884Bigboy
When you say the “new Rivarossi” passenger cars, What exactly do you mean. How do you know if it is a new version, by box color or item number, etc.
And what is the difference between older and newer.
Any info would be helpful.
Thanks – George-Las Vegas
Dear Rex,
I didn’t know that Branchline made so good Heavyweight passenger cars. The quality is so close to Walthers. BTW. Does it make those cars for Walthers, doesn’t it? If the Branchline models don’t come with diaphragms, so I bet the Walthers ones are a better choice for the buddy who is looking for the best car for his HO railroad.
Regards,
Cristiano
I saw the new models at my LHS. The boxes are red but they’re bulkier. The cars look nice and this time…they come with interiors!