A few newbie passenger car q's - model accuracy, paint recommendations, etc.

All,

I'm attempting to get back into this hobby after having sort of drifted out of it over the past 10-15 years or so. When I was younger I was never really concerned with accuracy, but as I get older I'm becoming much more of a perfectionist.

My wife and I just took Amtrak across country and I figured it'd be a fun project to try to replicate the two trains that we took as my first foray back in (well, four trains, but same basic consists in both directions) - this has the side benefit that my wife will actually support the initial expense. Just today I paid a visit to Red Caboose here in NYC and was completely bewildered by the various options. Ended up just buying a lone Walthers Viewliner car as it seems they're really the only company doing them in plastic, and their model looks pretty good with the exceptions of the car number being in the wrong place and no interior.

Seems the Walthers models are expensive, though, and I couldn't find any smooth-sided diners in Amtrak livery; their Amfleet cars also seem a bit dodgy (trucks and undersides look a bit off to me). Is there anyone that makes a smooth-sided diner-grill in Amtrak livery, and anyone who makes decent Amfleet cars? (Hopefully more cheaply than Walthers...) I'm also looking for recommendations on Amtrak P-42's - I've heard the Athearn models are decent for the price?

Also, anyone that makes decently accurate RTR Superliners with interiors? (I could ask the same question about the Viewliners, but I'm sure the answer would be no.) Walthers' sngle-level Budd cars all seem to have interiors, but not their Superliners or Viewliners - though otherwise these cars look great.

Lastly, it's pretty obvious that I'm going to need to do some touch-ups on the paint on any RTR cars that I buy - I know absolutely nothing about paint, so what do you all recommend for painting the smallest details? Is there such a thing as a paint "pen"? (For example, the very thin bottom white stripe on my Viewliner is misapplied just a bit and I'd like to fix it.) If there are any web sites out there that have sort of a painting/detailing primer, feel free to just point me in that direction.

Thanks,

Jeff Williams snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com

Reply to
Jeff Williams
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Word has it "Red Caboose here in NYC" has some of the highest prices. Check with Trainworld/Trainland in Brooklyn.

Reply to
Corelane

Well, trouble is I'm in Queens - at least with Red Caboose I can just pass by on my way somewhere (like work) and stop in. Brooklyn, though, is literally a two hour special round trip (I'm one of those New Yorkers with no car). You may as well direct me to a shop in Pennsylvania.

If there's a cheaper place online to order, I'd love to do that... but I haven't really found a good online store with that kind of selection. And most of the online stores don't seem to have very good pictures; seems like you really need to know what you want.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Williams

Here is a suggestion Jeff.

Stop in at Red Caboose, but keep your wallet in your pocket. Don't buy there, just look.

Then pick up the telephone and call Trainworld, ask if they have what you want and if they deliver.

Compare prices...

Or check out either:

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or
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Reply to
wannand

Unfortunatly, You really need to know what you are looking for to order stuff online. I have found that I can look at the Walthers website to get a good idea of what something is, and then go look elsewhere to find it and order it.

I have used the following 2 mailorder/websites to order from in the past. Both of these sites have closeout/blowout sales that regularly advertise in Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman.

You can order from trainworld online.

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one time that they messed up my order, (I was missing a case/box) it was corrected the next business day.

I have also ordered from Standard Hobby Supply

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There are several other websites out there that are probably equally as good or better, but I have not dealt with them.

Good Luck! Have Fun! Enjoy! We had been talking about doing the coast-to-coast Amtrack bit... But have not gotten around to it yet.

Mike Naime

Reply to
Mike Naime

Trainworld has excellent prices but they do expect you to have the order numbers ready when you call. Else you get the NY attitude: "I haven't got all day, honey" :-)

They are a GREAT place to deal with in spite of that. Some folks don't care for what they perceive as rudeness.

Reply to
Corelane

The Red Caboose is the about the worst train store in the world so that might no be a great help. Walthers makes in HO good superliner cars. Athearn makes the engine that pulled yours. Those two things will get you close.

What specific trains did you ride east of the Mississippi?

Reply to
MrRathburne

Oh oh - if people keep doing that, you know they'll be switching their web site to a paid service!

Reply to
Mark Mathu

Jeff, If you want, there is a fairly local Train Meet in your area. (a flea market for model railroad stuff). It is in Greenwich CT and accessible by Metro North, New Haven Div. They hold three meets a year, (March, September and November) and there are usually some pretty good deals there.

If you want, Email me off the group with your name and address and I will forward it to the guy who maintains their mailing list.

If Peter King comes on the group, try to flag him down. He is Flying Scotsman hobbies and does mail order and attends the meet. He is also involved with the Poughkeepsie train meet, (also accessible by Metro North, but on the Hudson Div.)

As an aside, I use to be associated with the Greenwich show until I moved to Michigan 4 and a half years ago.

Jeff Williams wrote:

-- Please note; return email address has changed. It is now snipped-for-privacy@sbcglobal.net. Emails to Earthlink will be ignored.

The Gratiot Valley Railroad Club bi-annual train show and sale March 7, 2004, at the Macomb Community College Sports and Expo Center. Macomb County Michigan. Please visit our Web Site at:

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Reply to
Frank A. Rosenbaum

Two suggestions, www.discounttrainsonline and caboose hobbies in denver. MB Klien in Baltimore also has a large selection. Check around, and never pay list for anything. Engine House Hobbys in Wichita KS is another good store, often has discounts. Mizells in Denver also has a lot, many out of production items but often at almost list price. Get a Model Railroader magazine and search through the dealer listings in the back. I think I have called just about everyone of them at one time or another. Most are really nice and helpful. Jerry

Reply to
Jerry

Yes you certainly need to know exactly what you are ordering when you call them. They can't search for anything.

Jerry

Reply to
Jerry

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I will second the nomination of the Flying Scotsman...

Jeff Sc. Edinborough, Ga.

Reply to
not.fishplate

Lake Shore Limited. I think Walthers makes *most* of the consist I need for this. From the pics I have it looks like I need two P-42's, three Viewliners (have one), four Amfleet II coaches, a Horizon coach (got one today), Amfleet I lounge, heritage crew dorm, heritage baggage, one Express car (might just forego this - they're ugly) and a smooth-side heritage diner. All in phase 4 paint (P-42's in phase 5)

- which means I'm probably gonna need to order online for most of it anyway, as I can only find Viewliners and Horizon cars in phase 4 locally.

I went to Manhattan Train and Hobby today as well and they had better prices on the Viewliners than Red Caboose, but one of the links provided in an earlier reply led me to a nice set with I think two Viewliners and two or three Walthers Amfleet cars for like $58, which is a great deal. I just wish I could get interiors for all of these... does anyone know how the Bachmann Amfleet cars compare with the Walthers? The Bachmann cars I think do have interiors. Is there a company that specializes in just making interiors, especially for lesser-modeled cars like the Viewliners? I can't imagine people really make these from scratch themselves. I suppose for the Horizon and Amfleet cars I could probably just kludge some standard coach interiors in there if I had to, but the Viewliners and Amfleet lounge are a somewhat unique design.

The thing I'm having the biggest problem finding (online or offline) is the dining car. It was a smooth-sided diner grill - apparently Amtrak only has like 8 of these, so it's possible nobody's bothered modeling them. Walthers makes diner-grills, but they're fluted. I've seen some streamlined diners in other liveries that are smooth-sided but a) I haven't been able to find any history of the particular diner we had, so don't know who originally owned it, and b) I'm not at all confident in my painting skills. I'm really hopeful to find a diner like this in Amtrak phase IV paint. If anyone wants a pic of the real car, let me know and I'll email it.

Anyway, thanks for all the help... looks like I can find most of the stuff I need at the links people have provided so far, but I'm still not sure about interiors or that diner grill.

// Jeff Williams // snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com

Reply to
Jeff Williams

I called them and got one of the ladies. With just a vague description from me she was able to figure out what I needed and what I didn't, Of course, I still have my Jersey accent after 40 years. I am extremely well satisfied.

Jim Stewart

Reply to
Jim Stewart

All in favour, say "Aye.'

I say "Aye."

Good service, low prices, and great communications.

I have bought before and am a repeat customer of Peter's.

Richard Albuquerque "Where the Rio Grande meets the Firth of Forth"

Reply to
Richard Sullivan

Aye!

Kennedy

Reply to
Kennedy (no longer not on The Haggis!)

And, after 'Red Caboose" (substitute ANY local hobby shop) goes out of business, THEN you can mail order everything "sight unseen", because there won't be ANYWHERE you can see the item before buying it!

Wonderful advice. Browse the local shop's inventory, handle their merchandise, perhaps waste their time with questions, THEN buy somewhere else. You want all the advantages of a local shop, but are not willing to pay the price for one. NO local shop can compete on price with a mail order operation ... not and survive.

No wonder we keep getting all those "Such-and-such local hobby shop just went out of business ... NOW what am I to do?" questions on this group.

And yes, I did work (part time) in a local hobby shop for many years, and saw this behavior frequently.

Dan Mitchell ==========

" snipped-for-privacy@CreditValley.Railway" wrote:

Reply to
Daniel A. Mitchell

Actually it depends on the shop.

I have recently heard of a shop about 30KM from me, "The Right Track" in Bracebridge, Ontario.

I was talking to a business acquaintance on the weekend and was surprised that he too is a model railroader. I was mentioning my future plans and he adviced me about the shop. In a followup series of emails with him, it appears that "The Right Track" will be the place to buy my products, they were within $1.00 of all the rolling stock and structures on my wish list compared to what had been described as the best mail order house in Canada. (CEL) and of course with the mail order place, I had to add shipping charges.

Bottom line was for the same money, less 60KM worth of gas (about $125), I could:

A) stay home, order via email and wait a couple of days, hoping the courier/mailman did not destroy my shipment.

OR

B) Go for a short road trip, enjoy the scenery, chat with other modelers purchase what I wanted and have it immediately. Also see what is new or on special.

I also found out that the store is associated with the local Model Railroad Club (I never knew one existed up here) that meets every wednesday night. I now have something to do on Wed. :)

-- Will future Credit Valley Railroad modeler.

Reply to
wannand

I have NO problem with using mail order, or internet, to buy things ... as long as you already know what you want. You can obtain such information from product reviews, internet chatter, or word of mouth.

It is also acceptable to 'shop around' and buy from the lowest cost source.

But it is NOT acceptable, as the original poster recommended, to 'inspect' (handle, test run, ask questions about) items at a local hobby shop, THEN go buy the item somewhere else because it's cheaper. It's likely cheaper because (among other things) the other source does NOT allow 'inspection' (they probably don't even have a store).

Dan Mitchell ==========

" snipped-for-privacy@CreditValley.Railway" wrote:

Reply to
Daniel A. Mitchell

Dan, what is your definition of "shop around" which you say is acceptable?

Am I not shopping around if I go into a shop and look?

If I pick up a product off the shelf, that is handling, right?

If a sales person comes over and asks me a question, should I say no thanks I am not a customer, even though I might be?

When you go into a shop, do you feel obligated to buy something just for the priveledge of visiting the shop?

If I see something advertised on the internet, magazine or where ever, all I see is a picture, I can walk into the shop and look at the product can't I?

It has been my experience in other areas that I do about 50-50, 50% internet/mail order and 50% retail/wholesale shops. I expect that it will be the same with model railroading. I have already found a line of structures (JR Scale Models

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they look good and are sold mail/internet order, but I don't think "The Right Track" carries them. JR have 12 structures and say they have a line of wood rolling stock:

Choose from 36 and 40 and 50' boxcars, single and double sheathed, 36' caboose, 36 and 40' flatcars, and log car conversions. All accept Kadee compatible couplers. Trucks and couplers not included ($12.95).

Reply to
wannand

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