Red Caboose - inquiry

Matt, when we and the missus were modelling US railroads in HO, we built a number of Red Caboose kits, including PFE and Mather reefers, Pennsy X-29 boxcars, and 40'AAR boxcars.

Without exception, we found their kits to be of very high quality. There is seldom any flash, even on small or delicate components, the fit is usually very good, the paint smooth and thinly applied, and the pad printing uniform and opaque.

Like P2K or Intermountain kits, the details such as ladders, grabirons, brake wheels and so on are separate parts. The reefers feature multi-part underframes, and the major brake components.

On our models we chose to fit Kadee #5s, Kadee or P2K wheelsets, add some underfloor details, and replace the plastic brakewheel shafts with wire for durability. But these are merely personal preferences, and do not reflect on the quality of the kits in any way.

If you have experience with P2K and Intermountain kits, you will have no difficulty at all with assembling these.

(The usual disclaimer: I have no connection with Red Caboose other than being a satisfied customer!)

All the best,

Mark.

The quality of RC kits is very good and is as stated by others. One thing you must keep in mind (if it matters to you) is that RC will decorate cars with different paint/lettering schemes that are not prototype for the cars. Again if this matters you need to do some research as to if the cars had the scheme they have it painted/lettered in!

Ah, now that I

=>One =>thing you must keep in mind (if it matters to you) is that RC will decorate =>cars with different paint/lettering schemes that are not prototype for the =>cars.

Pretty well every plastic kit maker does this. Also, many "standard cars" were anything but, with variations between railroads that supposedly oredered the same car, and between makers, and between orders from the same maker. So if you want an exact model, you need a bunch of good photos.

That being said, yes, Red Caboose kits are among the best available IMO.

I just completed a Red Caboose 42' fishbelly side sill flatcar kit a few weeks ago. I too concur with others who rank it on par with Life-Like Proto

I'll go along with this, too. The particular flatcar model I bought was lettered for the Pennsylvania Railroad. I bought it on a whim at the hobby shop without prior research. As I found out afterward, the Red Caboose kit was based on a New York Central prototype and there weren't any similar PRR flatcars.

Hopefully someone can benefit from my mistake.

Wonderful! Thank you! I didn't do this click, but now I know who did ;-)

On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 23:17:21 UTC, "Wolf Kirchmeir" wrote: 2000

They at least make an effort. On being informed that one of their PFE reefers was wrong they redid the car.

On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 23:17:21 UTC, "Wolf Kirchmeir" wrote: 2000

I found that part of the assembly of their GS gondola kit was more difficult than I thought it should have been. I sent the company an email describing the situation and a proposed solution. They changed the kit! I like them.