Hi
I bought that big, huge Walthers catalog. I need to buy and build 40’ box cars and 40’ gondolas.
Does it seem that one company makes the best kits, in terms of quality running. Not “craft kits,” but the normal plastic kits.
I am reading and learning much here about getting them running perfectly. I want everything to have Kadee couplers, metal wheels, proper weight, etc.
Is there a good kit manufacturer to start with?
Thanks
Ray
My vote for the best kit makers (in HO, I’m assuming) would be Intermountain, even though they don’t make decorated kits anymore with a few exceptions. They make several types of 40’ boxcars and even a steam-transition era gon. Another company I consider just as good as Intermountain is Branchline-which makes 40’ boxcars, (decorated) also.
As for the Kadee’s, metal wheelsets, and weights, most kits don’t have those. You can swap the kit’s plastic wheelsets with metal ones from Kadee, Intermountain, Reboxx, or Proto 2000. FOr wieght you can use anything from car wheel weights to pennies, or buy custom weights from a firm like Adair Shops (the latter is expensive though). Branchlines kits include metal wheelsets, but plastic couplers.
Besides Intermountain, there are plenty of other kit making companies you might want to look at, including Red Caboose, Accurail, and Branchline.
I don’t think any kits come with Kadee couplers. Don’t let that stop you from replacing whatever coupler comes with the kit to Kadees, though. Athearn, C&BT shops, Roundhouse are all easy to build kits. Next up in quality I would say are Branchline Yardmaster, Bowser and Accurail kits. Further up the scale ladder (I think) are Branchline Blueprint, Life Like Proto 2000, Intermountain, Red Caboose (these kits tend to have very small and delicate parts). Top o’ the line are the craftsman kits of resin and wood. This is how I grade these kits, others will have differing opinions. Some folks do not care to build kits and only buy RTR. I do not care for RTR!
For your first project, try an Athearn Blue Box. Then move up to a Branchline Yardmaster kit. In both cases you’ll have to replace the couplers with Kadees and trucks that you’ve purchased. But in both cases you’ll like the results.
After that, move up to the bigtime kits that deschane describes.
Enjoy!
Kadee boxcars come with their couplers and wheels. But you do pay for them!
Bob Boudreau
Accurail makes good kits, but they don’t come with Kadee couplers, they come with Accumates and plastic wheels. I don’t know of any kit that offers actual Kadee couplers. Intermountain makes their own version of coupler, and Athearn uses a low-grade McHenry. I just keep a stock of replacement couplers and wheelsets on hand, realizing that all kits are going to require upgrading.
Ray,
Hey, welcome to the forum! [:)]
Accurail does make a good kit. I have several of their hoppers, box cars, and reefers and have been very pleased with the quality. (Sure wi***hey produced tankers and gondolas. [:(]) I do replace the plastic wheelsets with Proto 2000 metal ones.
Proto 2000 makes some VERY NICE kits but it will take you a bit longer to put them together. (I spent 8 hours assembling one of their 8000 gal. tankers. A lot of work but it is nice!) As deschane stated, some of the parts are very small and delicate so you have to be careful.
I don’t have any experience with Intermountain but I have seen their RTR and they are very impressive looking. Too bad it doesn’t come in a kit any longer.
Ray, I’d have to agree with one of the earlier posts. Unless you have a lot of model building experience, start out with an Athearn kit first and then move up to the more involved ones listed when you are comfortable with your modeling skills. Mistakes are less costly that way.
Tom