Hello,
I am pretty new to all this. I have 2 boys (5 & 8) who handle trains with great care. I have tried the Athern kits and do not like them as the coupler connections are weak. I want better quality cars but do not want to spend $30 per car. Who makes mid range $$$ cars that look good and will hold up? I use knuckle type couplers…
Thanks!
Roundhouse and Accurail come to mind. I believe their both owned by MDC (Model Die Casting). There’s also Atlas, Walther’s and a host of others. Go to the Walther’s website to see many more. Their web address is: http://www.walthers.com/
Well,Try the Train Man line by Atlas…Walthers has some RTR cars.Check the Athearn RTR cars some of the newer cars has screws holding the coupler box.
As far as kits Branch Line makes the 40’ Yardmaster Series boxcar kits-if they fit your era.
http://www.branchline-trains.com/yardmaster/40steel_boxcar.htm
Accurail makes some nice kits as well.
http://www.accurail.com/accurail/
There are cars out there that will fill your needs…[:D]
Round House and Accurail make some nice kits that won’t break the bank and you can use knuckle coupler. The only thing about Accurail, the coupler is held on by a self binding pin attached to the coupler cover but they work well and mine have never come of during operation. Train World out of New York, and I am sure others, sell Proto 2000 and Proto 1000 rolling stock, and eventhought retail can be $25-35, they cut there price from 30 to 50%, so your actually getting the rolling stock almost wholesale. The detail on the Proto stock is some of the best. They do sell already built stock ranging from $12-15, the kits are cheaper but putting on some of the finer detail is a bit tedious. They do have the time saver kits, which have most of the kit built, you just have to add a few pieces but for the money it’s worth it.
When using Athern all you have to do is pinch the edges of the coupler covers, start on one side of the coupler pocket with you coupler, Kadee will last longer because they are metal, intalled, then slip the other side over the raised catch tab. After you have placed the couple cover on, take a small jewelers screw drive and pu***he small area on the sides of the coupler to make sure the cover is snapped over the tab on both sides. After I learned this trick, my Athern couplers have remained in good position.
Round House has screw on covers, that’s the best way, and they sell at a good price. Proto 2000 also has screw on covers as well, cost a little more.
Yard Master
WTRR
gizzard101,
Depends if you want kits or not.
RTR: Roundhouse and Walthers are good.
Kits: I personally like Accurail: inexpensive and nice detailing above the frame for the price. (The brake system is a bit spartan, but OK). Their wood boxcars are exceptional.
Tom
Current Accurail production uses a #2 screw to hold on the coupler. They changed the mounting at least 2 years ago.
There is nothing ‘wrong’ with those ‘blue box’ Athearn cars. Change the coupler to a Kadee metal knuckle(and replace the plastic wheels with good metal wheel sets).
Jim
Atlas and Athearn make some very nice, durable cars. One draw back is the couplers, if you like long trains then your still going to have coupler problems.
The couplers Athearn come with these days ar pathetic. Is it the couplers proper that come with them or the coupler boxes causing the problem? If the metal plates are the problem they can be squeezed with a plier to make them tighter. If it is the actual hook, convert them to Kadee #5. The only car I have not found a good solution for are the tanks. I end up wraping a wire around the end of the coupler box to keep it tight.
As others have said there is the Atlas Trainman series but they come with AccuMate couplers as do the Accurail cars. Of all the plastic Kadee knock offs, I’ve had most trouble with the AccuMate.
And I really don’t like the old Round House cars either. I’ve had nothing but trouble with their coupler pockets as well. The screw that holds the coupler in place will either be too loose or strip out. Ive tried epoxy in the hole and just gluing the coupler cover on. The only good solution is to redrill and tap a 2-56 all the way through the floor.
Texas Zepher said.The only car I have not found a good solution for are the tanks. I end up wraping a wire around the end of the coupler box to keep it tight.
TZ,A self tapping 2-56 screw will work on those tanks but,be sure to center the screw.
For ease of drilling the holes,use your trusty Dremel tool on the lowest speed setting.
I’ve recently picked up a few Athearn BlueBox kits of reefers. Some were unique beer reefers, and a couple of others were just good bargains. The original couplers never even went on - I went straight to my Big Economy Pack of Kadee #5’s. Metal wheels would make them even better, but the Kadee couplers bring the cars right up to acceptable standards for the Pink Foam Prarie Lines.
At the other end of the spectrum, I just bought an Intermountain milk reefer for just under $30. It’s a very nice car, with Kadees and metal wheels standard. I wanted to have one nice, new high-end car just for comparison.
I have the same problem with Athern coupler box plate popping off. I purchased the Kadee 2-56 drill/tap kit. I drill out the center post on the Athern coupler box. You do not need the tap for the plastic. I then use a 2-56 screw to hold the coupler box plate in place. I also repalce the cheep plastic couplers with KD #5. I do the same with my Athern locomotives, but tap the hole. I run long trains and my cars are weighted to NMRA standards. Use flat head screws as some round head screws will rub on the axels.
Jim
Thanks to all of you. You feedback was very helpful.
I would suggest Atlas rolling stock where possible, or as I am surprised with the Athearn rtr stock is serving me very well!
I use the Kadee #5 in its own box on Athearn’s tank cars. To do this, you’ll need to remove the Athearn box and lid. However, leave the diagonal supports in place. These will serve to “hide” the conversion. Anyway, drill out the mounting place with a #50 bit, and use a 2-56 screw to hold the Kadee box in place. It should line up with the Kadee height gauge with no problems.