I'd agree with Ben's conclusions about the P1K model. I picked one up for comparison with the Intermountain model. To be sure, the weight of the cast underframe is great, but detailing it is more difficult, and the effort required to correct the molded on brake platform, etc, caused me to abandon any ideas of building a fleet with that as a starting point.

I have several of the Intermountain kits, some built, some not, and my impressions of it are mixed. The separate wood components do enable easy weathering of the interior (as well as replacement of the sides and floor with "steel" sheets, but I find the flange thickness of the truss members to be visually problematic. It also causes issues when the stenciling crosses over the truss member from the adjacent wood. To me, any benefits of the separate wood components are more than offset by the visual problems oversize truss member flange dimensions.

In my opinion, the grabs and some of the other detail parts that come in the IM USRA gon kit are abominable, which I don't understand when set in the context of parts in some of Intermountains other (and earlier) kits, namely the R40-23 reefer and PS-1 box car. The IM gons I've built all received wire grabs and other upgrades, and overall, they are nice models, but far from what I'd hope for. I've long hoped that Tichy would come through with an accurate kit that had a level of detail and fit at least on a par with their tank, USRA box or hopper. While we're better off than ten years ago, the perfect USRA gon kit in HO still does not exist. My opinion anyway.

Rob Adams



benjaminfrank_hom wrote: