I am in need of the opinions of the people in the Forums. I am looking to purchase a set of Tichy Train Products car trucks for a project. Given that I don’t know that much about this company I could use any opinions that people have, good or bad. Thank you for any assistance you can provide.
About 10 years ago, I bought the undecorated hopper kit because of the fine detail, it went together perfectly. Many small parts but they all fit without any work by me. I bought a 40’ flatcar based on my experience with the hopper and I was just as pleased. One day I will buy the Brownhoist crane but right now I have too many other projects and although the crane won’t fit my prototype or era, I know I will enjoy putting those zillion pieces together!
I don’t have any experience with the car trucks, but if they are anything like their freight car kits, I bet they will be fun to build (and look great too).
Gidday, the only Tichy kits I have had anything to do with are the #4030 USRA Cement Car which are built from the #4026 USRA Single Sheathed Boxcar, which I purchased a couple of years ago. Now the instructions describe assembling the trucks from separate side frames and bolster. However the kits I received have one piece "Delrin: trucks and one piece plastic wheels and axle. The car I assembled has only done a very modest amount of running , with no problems, but having said that I don’t feel that I can offer an opinion on long term service.
As far as the kits go if you’re expecting something like a slightly more complicated Athearn BB “shake the box kit” then you’re in for a Big Surprise!!
Apart from drilling all those #79 holes for the individual grab irons, I fully concur with delray 1976 sentiments.
Cheers, the Bear.
I have built probably 8 - 10 Tichy car kits. I don’t use their trucks…I use Kadee trucks. Having said that, I have used a whole bunch of their heavy duty archbar truck kits for various projects in Sn2 and On20 by narrowing them and fitting HOn3 wheelsets. They are nicely detailed, assemble easily and work like they should.
I built 3 of these flat cars to use as “idler flats” for my carfloat terminal:
These particular kits are nicely detailed. The stake pockets on the sides are individually applied pieces. (One could say that’s “sadistic,” and I would not disagree.) The underside is nicely done with full brake gear and piping. I added a real wood deck.
The trucks on these are, well, just plastic trucks. I replaced the wheels with metal Intermountain ones. They work just fine, and look good with some painting and weathering.
Tichy’s rolling stock, structures, and detail parts are nicely done, and their kits, regardless of their complexity, fit together as they should, without need of alterations or adjustments. There are two versions of their trucks available, one-piece plastic ones with plastic wheelsets, and ones with separate bolsters and sideframes. Both types have good detail, but they list the kit-type ones “delicate - not intended for harsh use”, and I think that most, if not all, of their rolling stock kits now come with the one-piece trucks.
Here’s a Tichy tank car on which I’m currently working…it has the one-piece trucks :
Wayne
I’ve used Tichy detail parts and trucks for years. Excellent products over all. However, If you are talking about the arch bar truck kits, my advice is to use either Kadee or Tahoe model works instead. The truck frames in the plastic kits are hard to get perfectly square and they often end up rolling with either a crabbing motion or an up and down see-saw motion.
I was going to build an assembly fixture to solve this problem, but I have opted to buy other brands despite the attractive price of the Tichy trucks.
As for the car kits, they are similar to the Intermountain and Red Caboose kits in terms of the level of detail with two notable differences: They must be painted and decaled by the modeler. That is one reason the ones I have sit on the shelf… Something to keep in mind…
My two cents,
Guy
I waited and waited and never saw one of Walthers Cornerstone Modern Steel Water Towers available, not even at my local quarterly flea markets, so I ordered the one from Tichy and enjoyed building it immensely! When I got stuck in one place, I called them and Don Tichy himself helped me out. That, alone, was a major plus in fair of their products. I have ordered from them several times since, and have yet to be disappointed. Great folks, great service! Cedarwoodron
I’ve built a few. I enjoyed building up the Tichy crane into an HOn3 model of legendary Rio Grande wrecker OZ.
Like the prototype, it is a bit top-heavy for a narrowgauge wrecker, but it runs down the road just fine at reasonable speed. Also turns, lifts, etc.
I ordered a couple pairs of their roller bearing trucks for a project I’m working on. They’re OK, nothing special - basically just your standard one-piece delrin plastic truck with plastic wheelsets that you’d expect to see in any Athearn or Accurail kit. When just buying the trucks alone, they tend to be less expensive than their Accurail, Athearn, and Walthers counterparts, which is an important consideration. I think the detail is not quite as good as some others I’ve seen (Walthers, for one), but it’s good enough for me and it’s functional.
Tichy are very good quality kits, as others have mentioned, they are well designed and go together as they should, one of my favorites brands.
I especially like the ore cars.
Here’s a couple of good build threads around the net.
I’ve built quite a few Tichy kits, and they go together perfectly. The trucks assemble well–I substitute either Proto or Intermountain metal wheels. About the only thing I can say negatively is that the kits need a little additional weight–at least the gondola and reefer kits. But other than that, I think they’re awfully nice.
Here’s a gondola kit that I bashed into a Rio Grande work gondola.
Tom
The opinions on the trucks was specifically what I was looking for. Especially the above comment about them being similar to Athearn and Accurail. I will be getting a pair of the 3051 Trucks for a caboose project. Of course, I can’t find the needed decal set, but that’s a whole different issue.
Thank you as usual for all the help I have received.
They did the work for Ertl as well as some Intermountain.
The three piece trucks (bolster and two sideframes) did not go together easily for me. Out of a dozen pair, I ended up with maybe 7-8 completed pair. There is a learning curve,since they have two little prongs on each end of the bolster which are easily bent (ruining and rendering the piece useless). Since I have no layout, cannot comment on running qualities. I would not buy these again.
I think I’ve seen 100 accurail truck frames at a great price, I think at MBKlein.
Mike
There are MY opinions…
Tichy, I really enjoy their Products, to ne they are an essential manufacturer on the modelling map.
I have enjoyed well thought out assemblies & Fit & Finish qualities.
I have assembled their REA Trucks, but took the time to Square up the mating surfaces & do the best possible job I could with truck tuning in mind.
They worked out very well, & fit the desing need I used them on.
This thread reminded me of the other trucks they have & i’m 50/50 on those, I don’t have a layout to run them on so I canpt report on performance, but they seem nicely equalized & mine went together well.
However, when & if I mishandle them they let me know.
I like Tichy because they value what I do; I’d rather put a prexision part on a model, than have a cast in glob.
From the Modelling I have done, wether it has been in RC Aircraft, 1/24 Autos/Trucks, to HO, my most memorable & rewarding Models have been the ones with high part counts for superior accuracy & detailing.
Just a few thoughts, Thanks!
I like the kit that Tichy makes[:)]…high quality and detail[:D]…the archbar trucks I use on some older equipment[yeah]…but the 1 piece delrin trucks[+o(] they are just cheap Athearn undersized trucks[N]…I use Accurail trucks in place of any Athearn (or Tichy) delrin trucks[swg].