MTL cars

[asciibaron]

I agree with other posts, this is a fabricated issue.  Concentrate on building the layout.  Manufacturing technology will march on in the interim.  When you're ready to run trains, more RTR product to your liking will be available.

it's not a matter of wanting RTR models, its a matter of wanting models that are prototypical.  pumping out 500,000 shells and then painting them for 50 railroads is cost effective, but does not make for a realistic prototype model.  i worked in the business and know it's all about the money.  they make things that they can paint up multiple ways and sell without risking sales on some oddball model.  yet there always seems to be a market for a DD40X?

i guess it comes down to i thought n scale was further along in scale models than it is.  my bad.

[wm3798]

Years ago, Athearn offered an HO DD40 in B&O... :-\

Lee

[asciibaron]

Years ago, Athearn offered an HO DD40 in B&O... :-\

do you still have it  ;D

[wm3798]

HO?  Meh.  That's too toylike for me!

[Philip H]

With a good night's sleep and coffe in hand, I'll wade back into the pool - KCS modelers have many of the same issues in our small scale.  Thankfully MTL has done a number of cars for us in both modern era (1980-present) and 1950's schemes.  They are not always to the rivet accurate, but way better then nothing.  Same of the Roundhouse KCS boxcar four pack that I recently dug out of storage to begin weathering.  And Atlas has added KCS locos in both White and Grey to their lines, but with a standard body shell that seems to favor ATSF practices.  Of course, I keep hoping that FVM will have their new GEVO in the Retro Belle scheme, so I don't have to mask and paint.

All that said, I have had to accept a lot of foobies and near foobies to have a fleet of cars in my favorite road name.  Does it rankle, yes it does, and I've been in the habit of writing letters (!) for years trying to get manufacturers to address the issue.  I think its slowly paying off - of course KCS being the only Class 1 not to be bought by CSX, UP or BNSF helps.

Meanwhile, I'm adding FVM wheels to many of my cars to get lower ride heights and better rolling characteristics, and switching out existing trucks with either MTL or Atlas whenever I get the chance.  It gets me to part of what you sound like you are after - a well tuned car fleet that I can operate with while I slowly adjust the fleets contents to increase prototype fidelity.

[sizemore]

i guess it comes down to i thought n scale was further along in scale models than it is.  my bad.

I have to call your bluff on this....



In that photo looks to be 4 Atlas Trainman 40' Ft cars.

The S.

[asciibaron]

In that photo looks to be 4 Atlas Trainman 40' Ft cars.

is this the photo?



those cars were purchased in 2005 when i was testing N scale's ability for switching operations, not proto fidelity.  i bought a loco, 6 cars, and some track.  the BANTrak group knows well my hesitations and concerns buying cars - it was the basis of many a joke.

also take note of the Athearn and Atlas more proto models of boxcars.

[bbussey]

it's not a matter of wanting RTR models, its a matter of wanting models that are prototypical... i guess it comes down to i thought n scale was further along in scale models than it is.  my bad.

There are plenty of models available that are prototypical.  You just have put some skin in the game and do your homework instead of expecting others to do that for you.  Just because they aren't jumping off the shelves at you doesn't mean there aren't a number of scale prototypical models available.  I easily can think of a couple of dozen without blinking.

You also shouldn't expect the lower-priced models to fill the majority of your prototypical needs, nor should you expect to have the vast majority of your roster be MTL equipment and meet your requirements.

I'll give you one tip however - that New Haven boxcar in your photo isn't protoypical, at all.  The Atlas Trainman boxcar in fact is not protoypical, so I suggest you stop buying them.  Find the InterMountain 1937 AAR 40' Boxcar decorated for New Haven, as that model is 100% prototypical.  They made twelve of them.  Unfortunately, they happen to be discontinued, but you can hunt them down if you search hard enough.

[bbussey]

And I want to clarify - on "prototypically correct," I was referring to the tooling AND the paint/deco scheme.  If you're referring to just the undecorated models themselves, then there are a ton of accurate models available.  If the paintscheme doesn't exist that you want, break out the airbrush and get busy.  Or, get some money together, commission a special run of cars, and sell the bulk to pay for the dozen or so that you want.

You have viable alternatives other than complaining.

[Bob Bufkin]

I've got a U50 done up in Chessie.  Does that count?

[asciibaron]

I'll give you one tip however - that New Haven boxcar in your photo isn't protoypical, at all.  The Atlas Trainman boxcar in fact is not protoypical, so I suggest you stop buying them. 

i haven't bought any cars in two years.  i know the Atlas cars aren't good, see the above post - they were cheap and gave me a sense of the scale and if i could switch from HO.

[Bob Bufkin]

Steve

The era your trying to model still had a lot of 40 footers in service.  I've got alot of the Red Caboose cars.  What's you feeling on those?

[JoeD]

Hey that's my girlfriend and that better be a Lite Beer!   ;D
Joe

Prost!!!

I call dibs on the blonde up front.

[wslco]

Steve--if you are really concerned about fidelity to the prototpe, then your engines should have real diesel powered prime movers to power the traction motors which will then turn the wheels.  Anything else is pure BS and should be unacceptable in your world.  Good luck on your endevour.
                                 ----Steve from the other Phoenix

[Sokramiketes]

instead of just passing off foobies, i'd rather do the research and learn about the various schemes, classes, why's and where's of off layout lines and equipment.  for me, that's part of the fun

  

How did we go from "spoon fed me information" at the start of the thread to "I'd rather do the research"?