These the most rewarding kits to build ( I’ve built too many) in HO
Proto 2000 4427 PS2CD Covered Hopper
InterMountain units 4750, 3 bay hopper , ACF Centre flow 2 bay covered hopper and their four - bay cylindrical covered hopper…
Walthers Pellet hopper…
Now if only Atlas would put some of their units in kit form…
As for Athearn they only have the old blue box units which are old in fine details
My humble comments
And yours ???
my favorites are the Athearn. i bought 2 today at the show. both Great Northern one in sky blue and one in a ugly green color, aqua or something. i like how they are easy for a beginner.
I’m working on a couple from Walthers & one from Proto 2000
One is a 4 unit Arctic car & the other is a five unit spine set both Walthers.
The Proto is a drop end gondola I’ve had since 1997 I haven’t finished yet.
I have two undecorated Athearn blue box vans & an Athearn undec AC4400 as well.
But the popular kits for me are Accurails 3-bay covered hoppers or Athearn’s blue box kits.
Gordon
The Walthers 5-unit spine cars are very rewarding to build. However, the kit I’m most proud of is my Rail Power Products 56ft well car - the first kit I’ve built that needed painting and decals. I fitted Kadee Barber S-2 trucks which run very nicely. Fitting the Walthers diesel dress-up kits to a couple of Athearn F7As was also very rewarding - they look much better with glazing and handrails!
hmm it would be any covered hopper car kits. execpt atheran and whalthers and proto.
From my days in HO, mine was the Bowser K4 Pacific.
Enjoy
Paul
Right now I’m enjoying Design Preservation’s small building kits. I have a McKean Models PS-1 boxcar kit that looks to be fun. After that I’m going to tackle a California Models grain elevator. Each manufacturer has different materials and techniques and I hope to learn from all of them.
I’m thinking the term “rewarding” would differ depending on the individual.
A scratch builder or a die hard “rivet counter” may find nothing available as completely rewarding.
A father who wants to put together something quick and EZ for his young son to pull around on his Plywood Pacific layout may find an Athearn kit extremely rewarding.
A “good enougher” (and the definition of THAT term varies by indivdual, too) may be perfectly satisfied with putting together a large fleet of Athearn kits for his layout, or may prefer something a bit higher up on the food chain.
I’m somewhere in between and if the kit , no matter what it is, turns out well, then I am very pleased and feel rewarded for my efforts.
Keep 'em rolling!