Been thinking about this lately, but I’d like to see someone like Bowser or Accurail produce an inexpensive shake-the-box X29 with variations in doors, ends and of course panel patches (if possible). HO doesn’t really have a good X29 right now as the Red Caboose kit is no longer made and the Walthers model, also out of production, is rather crude. I’d think an X29 even if it does not have separate grabs, ladders and the like would still be quite marketable as a good simple kit as virtually any HO modeler can use many of them, not just the PRR variety but painted for the many other railroads that used them (B&O and N&W come to mind).
They are on sale right now. It’s a 3-car set for $37, so just over $12 a car for nice RTR models. I picked up a set last month. They look good and run well.
You might want to consider contacting either Bowser and Accurail about that. I’ve e-mailed Accurail 2 or 3 times about things (mostly to show my appreciation about something) and have always gotten a response back. That’s no guarantee that they’ll do it…but you never know if you are the nth person to mention it and that’s what it takes to push a project over the top and into consideration.
If you are looking for road name variety and kits, Accurail would be your best best. From my perspective, Bowser seems to be phasing out their kits in preference for RTR. They also tend to be fairly heavy on PRR items.
As Mister B notes, the Walthers (formerly Train Miniature) cars are still available and Red Caboose may or may not have them available - they seem a little ambiguous with their advertising, with undecorated kits possibly available or maybe even decorated ones if demand warrants a run. Intermountain (scroll to almost the bottom of the page) is calling for a May delivery date.
Here’s a Red Caboose kit, upgraded with metal steps and grabirons:
…and a Train Miniature kit with a few upgrades:
…this is a Red Caboose kit, re-detailed to more closely match a specific prototype:
Your kind words are much appreciated, Mister B. [:)]
The weathering was very easy to accomplish: a simple wash using thinned PollyS (not PollyScale, although that should work equally-well or even better) followed by some airbrushing using the simple homemade mask shown below:
Some of the masking devices are useable on several different makes of cars, while others are specific to a particular one. The “chalk” marks were added using white drawing ink in a Rapidograph.
