The kit that started prototypical N scale (CS Models woodchip car)

[Van Horne 1]

I'm sure that George Carroll and Steve Stark would be flattered to be credited with having started prototypical N scale modeling, but I think their modesty would prevent them from accepting that credit!

Dave

[Angus Shops]

With chassis with integrated wheels and bodies without any clear window glazing, produced in black and mustard yellow, the fabrication of the circa 1990s injection molded plastic PNS 501 Pacific N Scale 1953 Chevrolet and 1949 Mercury kits resembled that of previously released Wiking N-Scale automobiles.

Plastic shrink-wrapped on a piece of cardboard with an orange paper insert bearing a $2.95 MSRP and "C. & S. Scale Industries LTD. North Vancouver. B.C. Canada" text, the plastic was often so tightly shrunk that it wound up crushing the car body roof supports.

Those are they. I note the price on the original; the same as what I paid for ‘new old stock’ just a few months ago.

[CNR5529]

Those are cool! Ill have to try to track down a set.

[nkalanaga]

"30 years ago, Micro Trains (Kadee) magnetic couplers had already been on the market for almost 15 years and were quickly replacing Rapidos."

30 years ago, Kadee 1025s (MT-5?) had already been around for about 20 years!

Yes, I have a couple of those CS chip cars.  At the time, if one wanted a modern, Northwest-style chip car, it was this, or scratchbuild one.  I did both, NP cars from an old MR article, for which Walthers made a special decal set, and these in both NP and BN.  I did change the ladders, to better match US prototype standards, but other than that, built them according to plans. They're still in service today, along with my own, some RLW plywood-side cars, and one Deluxe Innovations car, which really needs better lettering.  They made good cars, but their lettering wasn't always accurate!

Disclaimer:  I did the original masters for the RLW chip car - because I decided it would be easier to have him cast them, than to build a half dozen from scratch!  Considering that the prototypes were built in Portland, and run by the SP, GN, SP&S, and BN (that I know of), I'm surprised that Micro-Trains hasn't made one.

[Spades]

Nkalanaga

I built the RLW chip car. Any other unique rolling stock?  Pictures make it so much more accessible.

[Spades]

When Kadee first released their PS-1 Boxcar it was a game changer there wasn't anything like it in any scale.  I stayed with N scale. Well because Kato GP38-2, Kadee pilot kit and N Scale of Nevada's SP Detail kits.  Kadee 50' FMC car and MDC tank cars.  Otherwise it was going to be HO.

[robert3985]

Hmmm...30 years ago "prototype N-scale" was well underway, and had been for at least a decade.

I had built my first etched kit, an AT&SF stock car, at least five years earlier.

By 1991, I had converted all of my engines and rolling stock to Kadee (MTL) N-scale couplers, was using Rail Craft code 70 on my Ntrak modules, Rail Craft code 55 and code 40 flex on my own little layout, turning N-scale RP-25 low profile flanges on my 3-piece Kadee N-scale wheelsets, and super-detailing Kato F-3's and brass F-7's for my model railroad photography.

Here's a photo I took in the Summer of 1991 on my Ntrak module of a prototype scene in Wilhemina Canyon just east of Devils Slide Utah...

Photo (1) - Union Pacific "covered wagons" meet a west-bound freight at "The Monument"


I think that N-Scale of Nevada was making lots of conversion kits for N-scale, including a chassis to expand Kato's "Toonerville Trolly" GP-9's wheelbase outward to make it "better looking" and some really nice U-boat conversions, both of which I did, being happy with the U-boat kits, but still unhappy as Hell with the bad Kato Geeps.

Note that in the photo, there are four brass imported models...the trailing F-7's and both CA-3/4 UP cabooses.  I think that manufacturers had mostly gotten the idea that N-scale was a prototype scale by 1991, although not as much as today.

We really are living in the apex of N-scale modeling right now (as I look at my Scale Trains "Rivet Counter" UP Standard Turbine sitting on a short section old Rail Craft Code 40 flex on my drawing table).

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[pmpexpress]

Neat. I’ve never seen these before.

Here's another CS Models product that you might not have seen before.

A circa 1990s release, marketed as kit number 7205, CS Models also produced a set of three pewter log cars.

[DKS]

"30 years ago, Micro Trains (Kadee) magnetic couplers had already been on the market for almost 15 years and were quickly replacing Rapidos."

30 years ago, Kadee 1025s (MT-5?) had already been around for about 20 years!

You are correct, that was a typo. Kadee couplers were introduced in 1968.

[craigolio1]

I'm sure that George Carroll and Steve Stark would be flattered to be credited with having started prototypical N scale modeling, but I think their modesty would prevent them from accepting that credit!

Dave

Of course I understand that there are many other items that pushed the hobby forward, but if it wasn’t for guys who were ambitious like this, to make a kit for a railway that didn’t send the car all over North America, in a scale not yet known for custom building, where would we be? They were certainly pioneers.

[craigolio1]

Hmmm...30 years ago "prototype N-scale" was well underway, and had been for at least a decade.

I had built my first etched kit, an AT&SF stock car, at least five years earlier.

By 1991, I had converted all of my engines and rolling stock to Kadee (MTL) N-scale couplers, was using Rail Craft code 70 on my Ntrak modules, Rail Craft code 55 and code 40 flex on my own little layout, turning N-scale RP-25 low profile flanges on my 3-piece Kadee N-scale wheelsets, and super-detailing Kato F-3's and brass F-7's for my model railroad photography.

Here's a photo I took in the Summer of 1991 on my Ntrak module of a prototype scene in Wilhemina Canyon just east of Devils Slide Utah...

Photo (1) - Union Pacific "covered wagons" meet a west-bound freight at "The Monument"


I think that N-Scale of Nevada was making lots of conversion kits for N-scale, including a chassis to expand Kato's "Toonerville Trolly" GP-9's wheelbase outward to make it "better looking" and some really nice U-boat conversions, both of which I did, being happy with the U-boat kits, but still unhappy as Hell with the bad Kato Geeps.

Note that in the photo, there are four brass imported models...the trailing F-7's and both CA-3/4 UP cabooses.  I think that manufacturers had mostly gotten the idea that N-scale was a prototype scale by 1991, although not as much as today.

We really are living in the apex of N-scale modeling right now (as I look at my Scale Trains "Rivet Counter" UP Standard Turbine sitting on a short section old Rail Craft Code 40 flex on my drawing table).

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

That’s incredible Bob. It would have been so much easier to take the road less travelled with HO. It’s awesome that you were accomplishing this back then.

[craigolio1]

"30 years ago, Micro Trains (Kadee) magnetic couplers had already been on the market for almost 15 years and were quickly replacing Rapidos."

30 years ago, Kadee 1025s (MT-5?) had already been around for about 20 years!

Yes, I have a couple of those CS chip cars.  At the time, if one wanted a modern, Northwest-style chip car, it was this, or scratchbuild one.  I did both, NP cars from an old MR article, for which Walthers made a special decal set, and these in both NP and BN.  I did change the ladders, to better match US prototype standards, but other than that, built them according to plans. They're still in service today, along with my own, some RLW plywood-side cars, and one Deluxe Innovations car, which really needs better lettering.  They made good cars, but their lettering wasn't always accurate!

Disclaimer:  I did the original masters for the RLW chip car - because I decided it would be easier to have him cast them, than to build a half dozen from scratch!  Considering that the prototypes were built in Portland, and run by the SP, GN, SP&S, and BN (that I know of), I'm surprised that Micro-Trains hasn't made one.

That’s cool that you made the master for that car. I love learning about the people and the journeys behind a lot of the things in the hobby that have become a commonality, but we’re far from that back in the day.

[BCR751]

And, while we're on the subject of N-Scale "firsts" from CS Models, let's not forget this one.  I'm pretty sure they were the first to offer a lumber load kit in N-Scale.  The kit supplied little blocks of wood the same scale size as a lift of lumber and  a bunch of paper "lumber wrap" that had to be folded and glued to the wood.  They made perfect sized lifts that were then assembled into loads for flat cars.  I made dozens of 'em.

Doug

[craigolio1]

And, while we're on the subject of N-Scale "firsts" from CS Models, let's not forget this one.  I'm pretty sure they were the first to offer a lumber load kit in N-Scale.  The kit supplied little blocks of wood the same scale size as a lift of lumber and  a bunch of paper "lumber wrap" that had to be folded and glued to the wood.  They made perfect sized lifts that were then assembled into loads for flat cars.  I made dozens of 'em.

Doug

I forgot about that one. When I traded in all of my HO and bought N scale, a package of these in the Canfor brand were amount what I bought. Still havn’t used them yet!

[cfritschle]

While I do have the wood chip car kit, and several of the 1949 Mercury/1953 Chevrolet kits, I did know about the lumber load kit.  However, seeing it reminded of another Canadian company the produced lumber load kits.  Shown below is the Scenic Sets (Division of Kanamodel Products) Boise Cascade wrapped lumber loads.  Like the CS Models kit, one needed to wrap each block of "stacked lumber" with a wrapping cut from a printed sheet of gummed paper.



I actually bought two of the Scenic Sets kits from Little Bit Junction hobby shop in 1989.  I was traveling a lot for work at that time, and frequently I would take a kit with me to work on in the motel room in the evenings.  That is a Alloy Forms forklift getting ready to load a Showcase Miniatures Chevrolet Kodiak flatbed with the Boise Cascade lumber.