Opinions/observations on HO rolling stock

[doctorwayne]

Here's another Sylvan craftsman-type resin kit:


They offered variations of this car for all of the roads that owned the real ones, including TH&B, CPR, CNR, and PGE/BCR.

Here's what the real ones looked like:


TrueLine Trains now offer the same cars, r-t-r, in plastic, and I suspect has captured most if not all of Sylvan's market. They are nicely done, but they've omitted the original CNR paint scheme. Even though they're too modern for my operating era, I would have bought an undecorated one, had such a car been offered.

Another car that I really like is the no-longer-available 50' single-sheathed doubledoor boxcar from Walthers. They came with separate ends, allowing the modeller to choose either a regular "A" end or one with end doors. I bought four of them when they were first released, including this Great Northern car:


and one lettered for the Milwaukee Road:


...and two which I re-lettered using C-D-S dry transfers:




I didn't see any others for quite some time, then nine undecorated kits showed up at the LHS - at $5.00 each, I grabbed them all, lettering them for my own EG&E. Here's an older shot of one of them which I built with operating doors. The black roof and ends were a recent modification to the original paint scheme when this photo was made and I've since added lines above and below the reporting marks:


Wayne