Anyone know where to get these? I bought these cars about 1998 or so and from what my local hobby shop told me, they don’t make them anymore. Any ideas where to get the windows for these passenger cars?
Hello LakeErie,
I did some searching on the web, including American Model Builders, which produces flush fitting windows for locomotives and some rolling stock. Unfortunately nothing for your particular Athearns.
I’m in a similar situation as I have a Proto 1000 RDC with two cracked windows. Of course Walthers informed me that these parts were not available.
DCFixer posted a thread that, imho, is very helpful for our window problem. I’m trying his solution with a different product but using his methods: Here is the thread with photos:
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/182165/2004479.aspx#2004479
Your local hobby shop is wrong, Athearn does still make those cars in RTR form and Athearn most likely still has those parts for sale.
Go to the Athearn web site and look up their parts section. Here is a link:
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Parts/Default.aspx
And the part number is #18603 for a Pullman car - $3.00 a set. Best to order them direct, obviously your local shop is not interested in good customer service.
Sheldon
If you look at the instruction sheet for putting together the old Athearn standard pullman kit (easily found on the wonderful HO Seeker website):
http://hoseeker.net/athearninstructionscars1970/athearnstandardpullmancar1975.jpg
You’ll see how they are arranged – a strip of clear plastic with protruding segments that fit into the windows. Because they snapped in place as opposed to being glued or cemented, sometimes the window pieces just get loose and fall inside the car – I assume you checked inside your car to make sure they aren’t just sitting there? Note also the statement on the page that the window strips, part 18603 even back then, were supplied in continuous strips that the builder was to cut apart.
Failing that it should be possible with some care to create a replacement that might look OK. I would take the car and make photocopies of both sides. Make a few copies so you have more than one to work with. Use the window openings to trim clear plastic to size for each window. Some types of thin clear plastic could even be cut (carefully) with a sissors and then trimmed more exactly with a very sharp knife. The clear plastic that comes around the collar of a new dress shirt might be thick and stiff enough to create a usable window.
While it is possible to Xerox directly onto clear plastic that type of plastic sheet is just too thin in my opinion. It is meant for overhead projection (do they even still do that any more?)
One old technique that you do not see used much anymore but might be worth thinking about would be to put a strip of clear plastic BEHIND the windows, sealed in place with clear latex caulks, and then carefully fill the shallow window openings with a clear plastic applied with an eyedropper – the clear liquid plastic that craft stores sell to create what lo