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Reviews (6)
15 Feb, 2017
HO Scale Outside-braced caboose
1 of 1 found this helpful This is a built-up classic Roundhouse kit of a classic outside-braced caboose from the Golden Age. It is neatly built and if needed I will add weight to bring it up to NMRA specs. I will also add details such as windows, marker lights, decals etc. This will be an enjoyable project and I look forward to improving an already nice model. The model I received is just as advertised and I am very pleased with the purchase.
It's a pity that Model Die Casting (Roundhouse) has gone out of business. They produced nice kits of classic railroad equipment of "old time" rolling stock as well as more modern equipment. Their caboose kits were especially nice because they included wire handrails and grab irons as well as material the old-time truss rods where they were appropriate rather than molded representations of things like grab irons on the side. Athearn bought Roundhouse some time ago but no longer offers kits, preferring to sell ready-to-run cars produced in communist China and sold at much higher prices than the original kits. These new cars are nicely done, but some of us enjoy building and detailing kits like these that were produced in the USA.
All in all this is a very good model from a great era and I look forward to working with it and enjoying it.
04 May, 2016
Athearn Bev-Bel Susie Q Box Car
For many years, Athearn offered these sturdy, easy-to-build kits. They built into sturdy, realistic cars at a very fair price. They could also be upgraded with metal wheel sets, Kadee couplers, etc. because of their clever design. Bev-Bel bought lots of undecorated kits from Athearn and painted them in numerous railroad schemes and special designs for Christmas, USMC, etc. This added to the variety of cars available and thus to the fun of building and collecting these cars. Alas, Bev-Bel has gone out of business, and Athearn no longer makes kits, preferring to import finished cars from communist China.
This car painted for the NYSW represents a typical kit from this Athearn-Bev-Bel heritage. The paint scheme is charming and nostalgic for those of us who lived through the 1950"s. The body molding is strong and realistic and it is sturdy enough to tolerate a good deal of handling. Many of today's cars are more detailed, but very fragile. This and the lower price makes the Athearn kits a good choice for younger or newer modelers.
The body fits on a metal frame which does have a tendency to rust. This can be cleaned off with a little steel wool or a grinding wheel. The weight should be painted flat black for protection and best appearance, but this is not necessary.
The rest of the car consists of the essential such as wheel sets and details such as a brake wheel.
Changing out the couplers and wheel sets as mention will improve the appearance and operating qualities of these cars. If you decide to make these simple changes, I would recommend Kadee #5 or #148 couplers and 33' smooth-back freight wheel set from Kadee or Jay Bee. These are "drop in" replacements.
Any modeler could make a great looking train by assembling a few (or a lot) of these cars and adding a caboose and a steam engine or first-generation diesel. These cars will last a lifetime with reasonable care.
04 Sep, 2018
Athearn/Roundhouse Overton Passenger Cars
These are pre-built models of the old roundhouse kits. They are charming cars that represent a much more pleasant time in America. They are well made and operate well. Unfortunately, they are sealed shut so that no more weight or interior detail can be added. They are made in Communist China using equipment that was formerly American. This also means that American workers are put out of work by Athearn which used to produce all its cars in the United States. So we have nice little cars made in a country that wants to destroy us. It's an unfortunate situation.