WHO MADE THESE CARS

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am looking for a little help on figuring out who made these cars in HO. They are all metal with balsa wood floors. Looks like they were made from kits.

Any thing would be helpfull, thanks

inch

2

Inch - Look carefully at the underside of the trucks. A good indicator would be if there’s a manufacturer’s name cast into them (assuming that the trucks came with the kit). While card-sided cars were the most common type before the mid 1950’s, several early manufacturers sold metal kits. I’d say the odds favor either MDC or Athearn/Menzies.

CNJ831

3

If I am not mistaken those look like old Walther’s from the 40s.

4

The two PRR are almost positively Athearn (I have a couple somewhere) The tank could be Athearn or Varney.

5

Forgot to say that the box car end caps are brass.

I’ve checked them all over for any marking, even with my spy glass, and found. I got a bagy of parts also and nothing on them. I think there’s enough parts to restore at least one box car and the tanker [hope hope].

I was thinkng Athearn or Varney, since there was a Varney plastic RTR stock car that came with them.

Thanks for help so far, gives me more to go on.

inch

6

Ok…Curiosity got the better of the cat so I looked.

The PRR 50 foot car is Athearn.

http://hoseeker.net/swapgallery/athearnkits1950/A309

The 40 foot DT&I boxcar is a Athearn.

http://hoseeker.net/swapgallery/athearnkits1950/A302

The B&O boxcar is a Athearn…I was unable to find a picture but,it the same as this car.

http://hoseeker.net/swapgallery/athearnkits1950/A124a

The tank car is a Athearn

http://hoseeker.net/swapgallery/athearnkits1950/A506

7

BRAKIE,

Many thanks, for the links, so Athearn is what they are. I never heard of that site, but it’s bookmarked now. Maybe someday I’ll find the parts to restore all of them.

Thanks again to all those who helped on my quest.

inch

8

I still run the old Athearn metal cars on my layout because they have separate grab irons and ladders. Metal cars have sharp paint and lettering, more than I can say for the later plastic cars produced up to the 90s.