Silk purse from sow's ear dept

David Starr wrote in news:56Wdnb5y1NlONJ3bnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@adelphia.com:

I've been reasonably satisfied with the detail on the Bachmann cars. They're worth putting new trucks and KD couplers on, I've done it a couple times myself.

Bachmann's started putting their EZ-mate couplers on cars now, so those no good, waste of plastic and the energy to make them hork hooks are gone!

Puckdropper

The IHC hoppers also have above average body moldings, a do some of their other cars. It pays to look at "junk" - often the body is just fine as is, or else it may have the right dimensions for a bash to a prototype you can't get otherwise.

I usually replace the trucks, too. Plug the bolster pin hole with plastic rod 9sprue), drill a new hole for the 2-56 truck mounting screw. Then add the pad for the knuckle coupler.

BTW, those plastic bread-bag (etc) fasteners are good for coupler box pads. They come in several thicknesses, too.

Depending on how easy you want to be: Kadee talgo trucks are also available so the whole thing could be replaced if you don't mind the coupler mating on curves problem (or have broad radius curves to start with).

On the other hand, many of those old train set cars have very good truck detail, but it shows up lousy because it is all dark glossy black.

One of my old train set gondola cars got the "battering" treatment by using a soldering iron to create some realistic dents in the side....until I got a little too carried away and made a really odd looking melted glob bulge in one area. Maybe the car got too close to a blast furnace?

Sounds like an interesting project.

The Bachmann quad offset hopper is basically a direct rip off of the Athearn car. It's one of the few cars in both lines that are models of real cars, in this case, the ARA 1926 quad offset hopper. The Bachmann car has one thing over the Athearn car, detail wise. It doesn't have opening hopper bays, so they're a bit more accurate.

The other big problem is that most of them, Athearn and Bachmann, have unrealistic paint schemes that are several decades newer than the cars would have had in their operating lives.

Such as the Athearn hopper in B&M Mcginnis blue, a paint scheme for which I have never encountered a proto type photo...

David Starr

Actually I prefer body mount couplers for the superior backing performance. Plus I didn't have any Kadee talgo trucks and my LHS is a long way away from here. I do have Kadee couplers and styrene strip on hand.

I paint my black plastic trucks with red auto primer for the rusty steel look of the prototype. It has the extra advantage of letting the truck detail show up better.

David Starr

Folks:

Supposedly the Model Power 40' boxcar (which, rumor has it, is made on old Marx dies) is a decent AAR 1937 car...or is that Mantua or Life-Like? I forget which...

Those Marx HO cars did have nice rivet detail, as does the Tyco 50' flatcar, which is a very nice model in many ways.

Cordially yours: Gerard P. President,a box of track and some L-girders.