The problem is in getting fully opened windows with no shades. How do you take off the pre-printed ones?
And I would use paper or some such item so there is some relief away from the windows as well. Hang 'em right and they could sway back and forth for a real cool effect [:D]
Hey, I didn’t say it would be easy! [8)] If these “windows” are individually inserted, and not one long pain…er, pane, then you could pick the ones you wish to replace with fully bared windows and glue in some clear plastic pieces cut to fit. I haven’t seen these cars on the outside, let alone the inside, but it is a thought…?
If life was easy, I wouldn’t be asking silly questions here [:P]
The windows have a stamped silver gasket around the edge, so if you replace a window you would need a way to replicate that feature. The gasket is printed as part of the window “glass”, not as part of the body side (in which case it would have been no big deal, your idea would be perfect).
Oh well, a note to Rapido is due I think.
I see,…it’s all in the “details”. [:-^]
Got this back from Rapido:
Hi William,
We are looking into offering “shadeless” windows as an option. Keep visiting our websites for updates.
Thanks again, and happy modelling!
Regards,
Dan Garcia
Customer Service Manager
Rapido Trains Inc.
TurboTrain is coming…
http://www.rapidotrains.com
Detail wise, they look great other than paint. Paint is GOOD but not superb. But im sure this will be corrected in future runs.
As far as running, my experiences with Walthers is that they are not very good at running.
Pathfinder,
One suggestion:
Instead of using paper or carboard, consider using styrene for window shades. Over time paper material will become discolored.
“jecorbett” wrote:
My LHS is having a 20% off sale and I was thinking about buying a few of the NYC Rapidos but knowing what I know now about the window shades made the decision for me. I think it would have been far better to leave this detail off completely than to have all of them printed in exactly the same halfway down position. It’s as if everyone on the car is obsessive compulsive. Making them moveable probably would have made them prohibitively expensive, but if they had to preprint them on the windows, why not do it realistically and print them in a variety of positions including having some completely raised which I would consider the normal position anyway. When I ride a train, I want to see the world go by and would only pull the shades when the sun was low to the horizon and right in my face.
–
This was a tough decision for me but I knew I wanted to have the window shades as they are very prominent on the prototypes. If we had them at random heights, the only way to do this would be for every car to have their shades at the same “random” height. So your 5 coaches would each have the 3rd window shade up, the 4th down, etc. It wouldn’t look very realistic.
At all major terminals, the shades on most passenger trains were set to half height. This was certainly true in Canada, and I have heard that it was done on most US roads as well. From my observations of photographs and speaking with onboard crews, most passengers left the shades at half height unless the sun was on that side of the train.
So having them at the height set in the terminal makes the cars accurate for the terminal, the coach yard, travel on a cloudy day, and the side of the train away from the sun. This was the better option than having them at the same “random” heights, which would only look good if you bought just one car. And I definitely want you to buy more than one car! 
-Jason
If you are talking about the PCM book, the car they show is a brass model and it is declared to be brass.
The articulated car is equal to two cars as you have said, and will cost almost double.
The whole train concept is really great. We can now have a complete train that is fairly accurate, but BLI/PCM has made some problems for their dealers.
I will wait for the second or third or fourth run to get the Daylight cars at a discount. The California Zephyr cars are great for the price, but BLI imported a second run and flooded the market.
This was one of my complaints about the BLI California Zephyr cars. It looks really silly to have three cars in a row that all have the identical window shade pattern. Did the passengers have a conference to know how far to pull down their shade on that particular row of seats, or drawing room? Is it dictated on their ticket? Seems to me they couldn’t coordinate that if they wanted too. [:O]
[#ditto] Another place one really got burned if they “pre-ordered” the set. Fortunately I only got burned with one set, but then got the discounted price on the others.
[bow] Thanks, great idea! And will not curl either.
Just to back this up, I cut my shades from sheet styrene and have had great success. Plano produces some awesome etched metal blinds as well.
I gathered a bunch of paint sample chips from various stores last year in a similar color to use as shades and they have not faded yet. I just have to get them placed when I get around to it.
The Rapido Cars to me look just too nice to be picky about the shades. If it is really bothersome, it should not be too hard for Rapido to punch out a bunch of random window shades for each car. NOT one window at a time please.
The etched metal blinds from Plano are nice but, they need to be painted as well as the blinds in passenger cars were never bare metal.
Ch
Smitty, Charlie…
Thanks for that heads up! I had forgotten about the Plano shades and I remember now that a friend of mine had mentioned this to me. Good timing since I’m in the middle of putting the Rivorossi’s that I metalized back together.
Slightly off topic:
Smitty, I showed one of the Rivorossi streamlined cars that I metalized with Alclad II to several friends that are modelers. They really liked it! ( Yes I know, I need to post some photos! - Hopefully soon.)
The only car that I have used the Plano blinds on so far is my Santa Fe business car “Topeka” (Coach Yard). They definately dress a car up really nice.
I am also anxious to see your results with the Alclad. I am going to be starting a Sunset Limited really soon, and have commited to using the Alclad on this train. I will get it right this time!!