Opinions/observations on HO rolling stock

[nachoman]

This thread demonstrates how out of the loop I am. Of the three companies you mentioned, Accurail is the only one I have heard of! I had to visit the websites of the other two (wow!). I used to think Accurail was top-notch detail next to Athearn Blue Box cars, but it looks like rolling stock has gotten considerably more detailed since then. I only have some short USRA hopper cars and some outside braced wood boxcars from accurail. I am happy with the amount of detail, but as I recall the hoppers did not run well until I modified them. The plastic wheelsets they came with were terrible, and the plastic pins they used to hold the trucks on kept coming loose. I don't know if they still use these plastic pins or plastic wheels, but if they do they are easily modified to accept screws and metal wheelsets.