what are those products that you seem to find EVERYWHERE? something like a particular structure kit or a generic steam locomotive. I seem to find Atlas utility poles on nearly every layout I see.
As hard as I try, many products seen on a general shelf are too
GENERIC for my tastes. I like being somewhat original and try
to purchase products that are less recognizable, UNIQUE.
The bigger makers are whats there and EVERYBODY knows
who these are.
Old Atlas, Con-Cor, Revell, Model Power buildings. I guess Walther’s “Cornerstone” buildings will probably be added at some point, too.
Everyone seems to have (had?) an Athearn Hustler loco, and to a lesser extent, a Dockside/Little Joe steamer tucked away somewhere.
How about the Atlas Station? I actually have two of them… although they don’t reside on any layout currently…
Andrew
I must confess that one those resides in my layout… but I’ll give it a little facelift to make it less recognizable.
Athearn 40’ box cars.
At every LHS I’ve been to, there’s always a Spectrum (or what ever makes it) 4-6-0.
I thought of that, too, but didn’t include it as it’s sort of like saying Atlas track. Sort of ubiquitous-PLUS.
Atlas Stations, Athearn Cabeese, Athearn Shorty Passenger cars.
To a lesser extent:
Athearn F7’s & SD40-2’s, Atlas RS-3’s, IHC 2-8-0’s
In HO: The Atlas RR buildings: station, water tower, interlocking tower. Wiking automobiles and trucks. Athearn F7s and GP9s.
In 3 Rail O: Lionel Santa Fe F3, Lionel Berkshire.
In G: Bachmann 4-6-0, Aristo-Craft FA, U25B.
The Atlas trackside shanty. I think I’ve built five or six.
That flatcar-with-a-boxcar on it, with or without spotlight or other work-train related piece o’ plastic stuck to it.
DPM modular wall sections are approaching this level of ubiquity, at least on most of the HO layouts that I’ve seen. I mean, they’re nice, I use them, but they’re just everywhere!
Ma’s Place.
Ya know it seems like ALL OF YOU have passed up the most obvious one of all…
THE RERAILER!!!
Ya know even on those Rivit counter layouts, the major club layouts, and just about every home layout i have ever been to…either on some part of the mainline or in a staging area…there is a a sectional rerailer track. I mean god are they helpful to get your crap on the track…BUT THEY ARE EVERYWHERE and then some LOL
Nearly everyone seems to have a coupleof the Busch 1950s era chevrolet pickup. (including me, and i don’t even model the 1950s, i model the 1920’s?!)
neil
Because of the paucity of post-1980 American non-commercial vehicles (Yes, I know there’s tons of German stuff around), on Modern-day US layouts you’re almost guaranteed to find the Atlas Ford F150 and/or Taurus, Walthers Crown Vics and Expeditions, and Busch Caprices and Blazers. And, of course, some version of the Trident mid-70s Chevy Chassis (P/U, Utility, Flatbed, etc.) and Chevy Van.
For buildings, some form of Aunt Millie’s, which was so generic that somebody wrote a Model Railroader article on kitbashing it into 5 different-looking houses - he arrange all of them on one street (Maple Street, maybe[?]) and the resulting scene did look very good.
OK, this buildilng was also on most layouts of the 70s and 80s - a 2 story rectanglar industrial building, I think called the ‘Car Shop’, bottom floor was brick with 2 side-rolling doors on either of the short side; base had molded in plastic rails which passed through the building via those rolling doors (which were quite low - only a gondola or flat would clear the door frame); second floor was basically large factory windows; peaked roof; and an outdoor A-frame hoist which straddled the rail.
Until the explosion of Presier figures, there was always a few figures that popped up on every layout (one was the guy leaning crossed-leg again whatever, another was a guy posed to lift something, and a few others…).
Finally, until the rise of photoetched brass fittings, Lifelike street detail was everywhere (and still is quite a few places - it’s not all bad).
I always see a fat man in a jumpsuit with his right arm raised… a trucker I believe.