Micro-mark has some cars kits made by Tichy Train Group. Before I spend any money what are others experiences with this manufacturer?
Bob,
Great kits! [:)][tup] However, they are more advanced and have a lot of parts. How’s your modeling skills?
For comparison: If you can put together a Branchline “Blueprint Series” kit; you can handle a Tichy kit.
Tom
you can usually get a better deal if you order direct from Tichy but i have had major communication problems with them. can’t get them to answer the phone or respond to emails.
grizlump
As Tom points out, these are not shake-the-box kits. They are not intended for the entry-level modeler, but rather the hobbyist with classic kit building experience. There’s lotsa parts, very fine assembly and plenty of careful gluing involved. However, for anyone with a little Branchline, or Westerfield, kit building experience, Tichy kits pose no challenge and they result in very nice models.
CNJ831
I have always liked their water tanks. I primarily use their windows for scratch building. I normally order from the Tichy website and have gotten great service.
As stated, they have lots of small parts. On the good news - these things FIT. They are some of the best fitting parts and assemblies in plastic modeling. Take your time, build in sub assemblies, you can get wonderful results.
Gary
They’re extremely well thought out and everything goes just where it’s supposed to. That said, these are NOT beginner’s kits. They take time and planning and care, but the result, at least IMO, is very much worth the time and effort.
I’ve built quite a few Tichy kits, and enjoyed every one of them.
Tom
I haven’t built any of their kits yet, but have a half-dozen of Tichy models of the USRA box car converted to covered hopper for cement service yet to be built. There are lots of parts and one must drill the holes for the handgrabs and such, something already done on kits of other manufacturers other than the pure craftsman kits like Westerfield.
Mark
Forgot to mention one needs to paint and decal the Tichy models.
Tichy isn’t comparable to a Branchline kit. I’d say Branchline is comparable to Red Caboose. Tichy is on the easier side of a craftsman kit like Westerfield. A Branchline kit can be assembled in an evening. A Tichy kit will take several evenings.
Mark
As far as them (Tichy) planning these kits out to the last detail, I seem to recall in the instructions from the last Tichy car that I built that they use a paintable mold release (or something along those lines). I still wash everything before painting, but I thought that was a nice touch.
Hmm, I dunno about that, but the only Red Caboose kits I’ve built are the flat cars and X-29 box car, and both of those were only slightly more work than an Accurail kit. Not at all like a Branchline Blueprint car. The Branchline Yardmasters - those go together quickly, but the Bluepritn cars with the individual grabs and three piece brake platform… every hole for the grabs needs drilling out, at least on the decorated models. AFter a few I’ve got it worked out and can proceed fairly quickly, but still I’d say Red Caboose is much easier, unless some of their other kits are more difficult than the X-29. Having not built any Tichy rollign stock, I don’t knwo how complex those are. Fr what I have done, I’d rank it(easiest first): Athearn, Stewart, Accurail, Branchline Yardmaster, Red Caboose, P2K (not the Timesaver ones), and Branchline Blueprint.
–Randy
Randy, perhaps we live in different universes. I’ve built both Branchline Blueprint and Red Caboose kits and found them comparable. All the Red Caboose cars I’ve built (but never an X-29), including the box car I built a couple of weeks ago, all had individual handgrabs to be installed in predrilled holes like the Branchline. Branchline does have separate car ends which must be glued to the body, but that is a minimal issue since the blank car ends have predrilled holes to accept the detailed end part…
Mark
Both Red Caboose and Branchline Blueprint have predrilled holes, but as in all prepainted models, the holes should be reamed to remove any paint hindering the glue from melding the plastic parts.
Mark
You just might want to mention the price of these kits, I know to most MR’s price is no object, but these kits are a little overboard.
Great kits, definately on the challenging side but worth the effort. I have built many (tanks, crane, idler, ice station) and all had good assembly instructions, except the coaling tower instructions which are unclear in several areas. That said it assembled into a beautiful model.
Where I am, the Tichy rolling stock kits are $2 - $3 more than Accurail kits. However, given the quality of the details that you get, I think they are a bargain. Good point about rolling stock needing to be detailed once you paint them.
Tom
I’ve built quit a few Tichy kits. They do have a lot of parts but if you read the instructions you should not have any problems. The instructions are very therough. These are not the type of kits where “when all else fails - read the instructions”.
For your first kit read the instructions first then re-read them as you build the kit.
Ray
They are very reasonable considering what you get. You will end up with a great looking car with a lot of details. The one that I’m in the middle of now, the rebuilt USRA boxcar with decals, cost me around $12 direct from Tichy. That is more than fair.