Wondering what the opinions are on passenger cars (HO). I’m curious what people think about quality in general, and also price-vs-quality. Also would be interested in any recommended sources. (note: I’m not interested in brass for this particular purpose.)
I’m aware of these brands as being currently available/obtainable. Certainly open to others:
Spectrum
Walthers Trainline
Walthers Heavyweight (the newer offering)
Intermountain
Concor
IHC
Rivarossi NOS
Take a look at Bethlehem Car Works - they have some beautiful kits that I understand are excellent quality. I’m not ready to buy yet, but they’re on my list. They have both plastic and brass. The plastic run in the $30 range for car side kits.
Mind a kit?
Branchline is the best.
Looking at your list, I am thinking you are looking more at heavyweights than streamline or smoothside cars. I would add Branchline trains to this list as well.
The big problem, as stated in other posts, is that passenger cars were built to each railroads specs. The main thing I look for is placement of windows and doors since most other things can be replaced or repainted.
I own ConCor streamline cars, I’ve body mounted the couplers and added weight. I am seriously looking at some of the new Walthers cars so I would be interested to hear others opinions as well.
Rick
A few other manufacturer choices, off the top of my head:
Athearn
Branchline
Roundhouse
Model Power
I have some Spectrum Heavyweights and some Athearn Heavyweights, built from kits, that I got second hand. The Spectrums are really nice, the Athearns are decent.
Don’t count out Brass Car sides, They are an economical way to get prototype specific cars without the extream cost of brass. And the best part is you can use a Walthers Bud Car of the appropriet configuration as your core. Thus insuring a wide degree of standardisation.
James
from your list
Spectrum - Ok limited selection of “styles”
Walthers Heavyweight - I really like them, except for the couplers.
Concor - ok for the price, but compaired to the same type BLI they are very toyish.
IHC - see other thread specifically on these cars. Look funny (europeanish) and hard to get running well
Rivarossi NOS - (NOS?) - the new 60’ CNW prototype cars are great. The old reliable ones from years gone by need new trucks and couplers. They probably comprise the bulk of my passenger car fleet.
ones not on your list
Walthers lightweight - very nice, needs new couplers right out of the box.
BLI California Zephyr - best non-brass car’s I’ve ever owned (better than brass actually), the only thing is similar style cars, all have the same “window shade” arrangement. So it looks funny when running two similar cars back to back.
Branchline - WOW, if you don’t mind all the work of assembling the kit.
I was unaware of any offerings by Intermountain. Can’t find any on their web site. Please enlighten me.
You mean this page? http://www.intermountain-railway.com/
ANdre
Thanks for all the GREAT input gang! Keep them coming.
A few specific responses:
No, I don’t mind kits.
Intermountain was a senior moment… I meant Branchline. I too don’t know of any Intermountain passenger cars
I model the transitional period (as it seems do 2/3 of the others). Basically I’m fairly loose regarding prototype issues, modeling region and era rather than specific locale and date. So I model roughly 1946-early 50’s (maybe '53-4). Thus I am interested in both heavyweights that still lingered and smoothsides already introduced in that time frame. For obvious reasons, I don’t model Amtrak or later/more modern smoothsides.
A bit more explanation, which may clarify. A bit of an aside, so ignore if you prefer:
FWIW, the key feature of my layout is a union station, thus my interest in multiple roadnames. I’ve always modeled PRR, but am a passenger junkie, so would like to open the option for multiple roadnames. So I’ve decided that the layout is centered around a mid-sized riverside city with a signficant union station, and the tracks & industries converging through the nearby countryside into that city… I say “decided” because enough benchwork is in place to force me to remain committed to that scenario (which is fine, I debated endlessly and remain comfortable with that choice)
But I haven’t quite decided its geographic locality… I don’t want to model a specific “real” city, but rather a “shadow” or “homage” proto-lance “along the lines of…” city. I haven’t figured whether it’s going to be midwest (a la St. Louis), further east (e.g. Cincinnati) or truly east (e.g. Harrisburg). To some extent, all these areas are similar enough in geography and general characteristics that it will be determined largely by which roadnames I can get. For instance, lots of Lackawanna, Lehigh Valley, CNJ and so forth will yield east.
Currently I’m leaning toward a “go west” scenario and a "St Louis-like
Your idea of going more midwest still leaves lots of options because it allows you to tap the south as well.
Illinois Central - City of New Orleans/Panama Limited
Louisville and Nashville - Hummingbird
Wabash
Rock Island Rockets
Missouri Pacific
Some local fare from
Chicago Great Western
Minneaplois and St Louis
The list is nearly endless
Rick
If you decide to “go east”, BCW has CNJ, PRR, RDG, B&O roadnames in heavyweights, although it sounds like you may have enough PRR already. Since you have to paint them anyway, you have the option to apply lettering from anything you can get your hands on. Whatever works for you.
URL is www.bethlehemcarworks.com
Exactly why it’s so tempting. Literally dozens of RR’s could be reasonably considered within my “pool”… All those you mentioned plus Alton, CBQ, B&O, Katy, Nickel Plate, and a jillion others I’m not recalling off the top of my head.
You will need to add some New Haven cars to your PRR pool. They got around a lot in run-throughs with the PRR.
I model the NH and have quite a few PRR cars.
I love Branchline’s sleepers… And don’t forget regular old Pullman pool cars (PULLMAN gold lettering in the board).
You guys have hit the nail on the head. That’s why I’m modeling Peoria: with 14 different roads all converging on one spot in town (Bridge Junction), you could have seen trains from the ATSF, Alton (GM&O), C&NW, CB&Q, C&IM, ITC, M&StL, P&E (and NYC), NKP, PRR, P&PU, PT Co., Rock Island and TP&W. Until around 1940, the Union Station hosted the CB&Q, M&StL, NKP, P&E, C&IM and ITC, witht he Rock’s mainline passing within 50 feet of the depot (and the P&PU running commuter trains into the 1920s). I can realisticall model a C&IM 4-4-0, next to a M&StL doodlebug, NKP 4-6-4, CB&Q 4-4-2, and P&E GP7, all being passed by a Rock E7 set!