Im building an On30 layout and i will need a few full size cars at a transfer point. I’m looking for something like the old athern blue box type of kit but in O scale. Something thats pretty accurate, falls together with minimal effort and that is easy on the wallet. era i am modeling in pre 1940 and id like boxcars (40 foot, maybe some wood sheated one too) maybe a reefer or two and a couple of flats/gondolas
any suggestion?
thanks
Have you tried Atlas trains for car kits?
O scale car kits are not that easy to find, usually everything is pre-built. At least that is my experiance.
Lee F.
Not many kits. Try P&D’s site. O scale, 2 rail. There are some kits sprinkled in there (try Red Caboose)
all of these toy train cars are made from kits; along with some scratch modifications; note they are riding on toy train trucks, suitable for 3 rails; a fellow named Martin makes the kits for about $19 ea.
With all due respect to some of the other posters, O scale kits are both numerous and widely available. In addition to the many current offerings from manufacutrers like Intermountain, scads of older kits are in the secondary market including Athearn–yes, Athearn marketed many O scale kits. Now, most of them are not plastic, “shake-the-box” kits like modern HO kits (most of which, frankly, aren’t kits in the classic sense at all). Many are blocks or planks of wood with metal castings, wire, and printed cardstock or tim sides. Others are stick kits: build them just like you would a 1:1 scale car. Some, including old KMT kits, however, are simply plastic cars–many of the molds for them were recently in use by K-line–that need to be assembled like the new Atherans. Many of the others do not come with trucks or couplers–fortunately for us 3-railers. eBay is a great source; most of these older kits go very reasonably, but they will take work to build, and they will take a LOT of detailing to equal Atlas O products, for example.
They specifically didn’t want “craft” kits. There are a lot of beautiful kits in O (primarily for two rail) but they aren’t cheap and they don’t go together fast. Even the RedCaboose and old Atlas plastic kits are not much like an Athern HO two screws and you’re done.
Palallin,
With all respect south Florida hobby stores are selling only Lionel or MTH or at times Williams already built passenger or frieght cars.
Have not seen any O gauge kits in south Florida for years.
Lee F.