Athearn bay windows in hand....

[oakcreekco]

Does anyone know if the Athearn units are all "glued" together??

Could be a real headache if the undecs are

[bobdobbs]

Bob do you model SP - please let's see layout?


I do, I will take a few pics and post them, My layout is not much to scream about

Dobbs

[bobdobbs]

Hi

here are some quick pics of the new Athearn SP C50-9 caboose, compared with the MT version, and the Overland version.

Here is an overall shot of all 3, I filed down the MT's bolsters down as such as I could and painted the grabs white as needed The MT is on the left, the Athearn in the middle, the Overland on the right.




Here is the MT version:


Here is the New Athearn Version:



Here is the Overland version:




I Love the SP Bay window caboose, so I like all 3 models, I have to say the Athearn is the best overall, the modeling and paint job on all is very good, I like the MT's trucks best, I had to put in low profile wheel sets though, and installing the smokejack supports, radio antennae and marker light on the MT was a slight pain, I think many modelers will not do it, which subtracts from the SP look. The Athearn wheelsets are lame, I think MT's will work or I will replace with FVM's The overland has the worse trucks, and the wheelsets leave a lot to be desired. I like the McHenry couplers, I think they look as good as MT's and seem to operate OK. The MT does not have the security screens, the Overland has them mounted in the open position and the Athearn has them in the box for user installation if desired. The price of the Athearn is amazing, street price about $24.00 USD , so about $100.00 less than the Overland, and about $2.00 less than the MT. The underbody details on the Athearn are great and like the overland has seats in the bay windows. There are also detailed instructions on opening the Athearn caboose for figure or lighting installation. The MT seems too large, too tall. I am very happy that there are now so many choices on a very road specific caboose!

Oh, you might all realize from the pics, my next purchase is going to be a tripod, sorry for the lame pictures!

[chuck geiger]

What's with the shiny red - SP red was muted LIKE the model on the left - MTL.

[bobdobbs]

What's with the shiny red - SP red was muted LIKE the model on the left - MTL.

I think the Overland has the best color rendition, the MT is too "milk chocolaty", Having all 3 together really makes the differences show.

[oakcreekco]

Thanks for the pics and comparisons. You make a great point. All three are nice, all three have their strengths, and all three have their weakness'.

Both the Athearn and MTL are a BIG bang for the buck, compared to the brass.

All three manufacturers can "learn" from each other..........if they wish too, IMO and we have a choice of three nice SP's.

[TiVoPrince]

Personally
I think all colours have a place:
MT - mostly correct and a proper in service (but a very recent washrack visitor) colour
Athearn - brand spanking new right out of the paint shop, needs a light gray fog and weathering
Overland - compromise colour between the others although lettering size, placement, fonts and kerning all look out of place
I'll be getting Athearn C50-7,8,9 cabeese to fill my roster.  I may keep the MT to avoid eBay annoyances but doubt that I will be breaking the factory seal anytime soon...

[Sokramiketes]

With all the body dimension discussions before, I hadn't noticed the clown shoes MTL put on their version instead of N-scale caboose steps. 

MTL colors have long been muted... the Pullman green bothers me the most, but OK for 15 years of service and faded. 

[wcfn100]

With all the body dimension discussions before, I hadn't noticed the clown shoes MTL put on their version instead of N-scale caboose steps. 
 

Now that you said it, it's all I can see. LOL


Jason

[oakcreekco]

With all the body dimension discussions before, I hadn't noticed the clown shoes MTL put on their version instead of N-scale caboose steps. 

MTL colors have long been muted... the Pullman green bothers me the most, but OK for 15 years of service and faded. 

I don't know, but look at the Overland's feet.........................about the same SIZE, and only $120 more

[DKS]

Here is the MT version:


Here is the New Athearn Version:


Here is the Overland version:

This is a very useful comparison, but perhaps a little more useful with the prototype for context:


This is not my photo; it was swiped from here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orodreth_99/189172348

[wazzou]

Good, I'm sure you wouldn't take photos aimed directly into the sun.

[GaryHinshaw]

Tough crowd here.   ;D  But not as tough as the crowd that tagged the RR Police caboose:

http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=44354
 
Lou's comment on p.1 is right on: I may need one of these to patrol the Loop for hooligans...  

[Walkercolt]

My take on most MT colors of late, is they are taking lessons from the IMPS modelers and adding a "scale effect" to their colors (more muted and a bit lighter). I have a REAL chip of ATSF Warbonnet Red from a "paint stinking new" Dash-8 40C, peeled off the steps with my own pocket knife in Cherokee Yard years ago. You paint an N-scale model that color and it'd look awful. We usually don't display our little trains in bright sunlight, do we? And some paints on the prototype started fading as soon as the paint left the gun! (KATY Deramus Pink, err, Red!) If you have blue, hazel, green or grey eyes, you don't see color the same way as brown-eyed people (we can see more "shades" than the Munsell Color Standard shows). All movie studios and color labs and printing shops use brown-eyed people to double-check the electronic color matchers. I can see differences in the "computer color-matched" house paints, a mile away. But your persception of a color is influenced by many things, like layout lighting, your age, (as we age, our persception of colors change, especially if you are sloooowly developing senile cataracts), how you "remember" colors, and more. Sorry, shoulda started another topic... :-[

[Chris333]

As for undecorateds, you guys might get lucky:
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Athearn_N_10870_53_Bulkhead_Flat_Car_Undecorated_p/ath-10870.htm